


His Garden

by starrrbeee



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Porco Rosso AU, Slow Burn, but very minor, its like pretty much a background event
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27704155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrrbeee/pseuds/starrrbeee
Summary: Technoblade is a sea pilot turned bounty hunter flying above the dangerous seas. He was cursed with the head of a pig in the past, and only flies for himself. Dream is the owner of Hotel Sogñare, a haven for sea pilots and sea pirates alike. The two of them are good friends that go way back and care for each other very much. While trying to fix up his plane to fight the American sea pilot Jschlatt, Techno meets Tommy, a bright (albeit annoying) seaplane engineer, who has many amazing ideas and the brightest optimism he has seen in a while. Together the two of them learn much from each other, and Tommy's positive outlook on life helps Techno realize that he has been missing the one thing that will make him happy again; love.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 55
Kudos: 320





	1. A very Bad(lands) Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first time writing anything, but I'm really proud of how it has turned out. This is based on the Studio Ghibli movie Porco Rosso, so it will make more sense if you have watched it. That being said, it can be enjoyed as a standalone story as well :) When I watched this movie I noticed that it fit so well with the dreamnoblade dynamic that I had to write them into it. 
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

Techno works alone. He likes it that way; living in his hideout in the middle of the sea, farming potatoes for food, and not having to worry about anything or anyone holding him back. He spends his time working on making his plane the best it can be and waiting for the inevitable calls for his assistance.

And there it is. The phone is ringing. So much for a chill day of sleeping and farming…

“Hello?”

“Hello, Technoblade? Is that you? Your bounty hunting skills are needed as soon as possible! We have a cruise ship being attacked by the Badlands gang!”

“What’s in it for me? I’m a bit busy today…”  _ Yeah, busy taking a nap _

“The ship is carrying lots of riches and a group of kids on a school tour! Please, we will pay you double for it!”

“Double you say? Ok, I’ll be there soon” If there is anything that will get the pig to work, it’s the thought of lots of cash.

With the promise of a hefty paycheck in mind, Techno took off in the air. While trying to get the plane flying, he noticed that the engine wasn’t working as well as it usually does.  _ Guess I have to take this to Milan soon to get this baby fixed up soon. _ He makes a mental note of this and continues on his way to the Badlands gang. 

When he arrived at the ship, he noticed that the gang was loading the school kids into their beaten up ship and escaping. The captain of the ship noticed Techno’s arrival and quickly pointed in which direction they were headed. All of the people on board were cheering him on and wishing him luck on rescuing the money and the kids. Techno then began flying in the opposite direction of where he was being pointed

_ If I know one thing about the Badlands gang, it’s that they are cheap. They are just going to fly to the nearest island and hide them to save on gas money. I can cut them off easily. _

He checked his map for what the nearest island was and charted a course straight towards it. 

_ Meanwhile, on the Badland Gang’s ship… _

“Bad, there’s so many of them! Why did we have to bring all the kids??” asked Antfrost, desperately trying to keep the kids away from their precious loot.

“I didn’t want them to miss their friends Ant, it would make them lonely!” said Badboyhalo, the leader of the gang. 

The Badlands gang may not be the evilest of sea pirates, but they had the determination. They had stolen the money to pay for the crippling debt they were in for accidentally buying a super-powered gun for their plane (which Karl then managed to break one day later). Kidnapping the school kids wasn’t the original plan, but a couple of them had snuck onto the ship and Bad couldn’t bear to leave only some of them behind. They now realized what a mistake it was bringing 15 little kids aboard their already cramped boat. The kids were crawling everywhere and touching everything they could get their hands on.

Awesamdude was at the top of the ship manning the guns and keeping a lookout for Techno. However, the kids kept distracting him from his job. 

“Mister, Mister, look! There’s a pretty red plane coming our way!” said one of the kids to Sam. 

Sure enough, Techno was coming at full speed towards the ship. He fired a few shots and busted one of the enemy ship’s engines. This was too easy, he almost felt bad for them. Even with that thought, Techno flew up to the ship to ask them to surrender. 

Naturally, they didn’t surrender and instead told him to take a hike. Techno sent a couple of warning shots that just barely missed the ship’s other engine. The Badlands gang then decided that this was not a fight they were willing to take, and quickly surrendered to Techno. 

“Since I feel bad for you pirates, I’ll let you keep enough money to repair that engine of yours and maybe get a new paint job on this ship. Don’t want my enemies to be unstylish” Techno told Bad. 

“Wow, that’s so considerate of him, what a nice guy!” the rest of the gang murmured to each other.

“Fine, you muffinhead, but only because we really need this money.” Bad agreed to Techno’s terms, handed over the leftover money and the kids, and they sped off as fast as their broken ship could take them.

Techno was now in charge of 15 crazy little kids, and he didn’t know what to do. He let them hang out on the wings of his plane as he slowly flew back to the ship they were stolen from. When he returned, everyone was cheering for him and paid him handsomely for his efforts. 

_ I need a drink, this day was too chaotic for me…  _ Techno thought to himself.  _ If I get to the bar on time, maybe I can even see him... _


	2. The Hotel At Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After defeating the Badlands gang, Techno decides to go relax at the hotel run by his old friend Dream. While there, he meets Jschlatt, a cocky and outgoing American pilot who is looking to take him down. As the night goes on, arguments occur, news is shared, and feelings are still kept hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! I wrote this instead of helping cook lol. 
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

The Hotel Sogñare is a beacon of light in the middle of a dark and dangerous sea. Sea pilots and pirates alike flock here at night to eat, drink, and enjoy entertainment like singing and dancing. Tonight, it is home to a gang of pirates having a very important discussion… 

“We need to get that damn pig to stop attacking us so easily! He just beat the Badlands gang for the third time this month, and you know he’s coming for the rest of us next!” said the leader of the group.

“So Connor, you said your friend here can help us stop the pig once and for all?”

“Yeah! Schlatt is a famous American pilot who is known for winning fights against his enemies,” said Connor, one of the pirates at the table

All eyes turned to the man sitting at the edge of the table. He wore a fancy suit and was avidly watching the person on the stage performing. He didn’t really look too intimidating, but Connor was known for making powerful friends, so they all trusted his judgment. 

“Hey Sir, what do you think of-”

“WILL YOU SHUT UP!! I’m trying to watch the performance!” Schlatt half yelled half-whispered. With that, he went back to watching and drinking his drink. The pirates were all taken aback by his outburst and instead focused their attention on the front of the bar as well. 

Tonight’s singer was none other than Dream, the owner of the hotel. He was a very charming and attractive man, and men and women alike were mesmerized by his voice. Schlatt was watching him with a starstruck expression, and he knew he wanted to get a moment alone with Dream. As the song ended, Schlatt stood up and gave an enthusiastic round of applause. He was about to make his way over to Dream when the door to the bar opened.

“The pig is here…”

As Techno walked in, the pirates turned their eyes from the performance and shot disgusted looks at him as he took a seat at the bar. Schlatt caught sight of Techno and began making a beeline towards him. They both sat at the bar in silence for a minute before Techno spoke up.

“Is that your plane parked out there? The real fancy lookin one?” he asked in a nonchalant tone. 

“Yes sir, that’s my pride and joy, flew her all the way here from America. Can I buy you a drink?” asked Schlatt, knowing full well that all the pirate’s eyes were on him. He had to get on Techno’s good side at least a little, so he could maybe weaken his defenses. What he didn’t know, however, was that Techno doesn’t like anyone (well, maybe one person…)

“No thanks, I’m getting my own dinner soon. Oh and a word of advice: don’t strike up any deals with those pirates over there. They’re nothing but dirty liars, and when I say dirty, I mean it. Some of them haven’t showered in weeks.” said Techno to Schlatt, which got a huge laugh from the latter.

“HEY YOU PIG! WE HEARD THAT!” the pirates yelled at Techno, who just sat there and calmly flipped them off. It seemed like a fight was about to begin as the pirate leader got out of his seat angrily and was starting to make his way over to Techno and Schlatt. 

“Now boys, you know the rules about fighting in my restaurant.” Dream had gotten off stage and was now standing between the pirate’s table and Techno and Schlatt at the bar. “If you’re gonna fight someone, do it outside, not in here. I don’t want you bothering my other guests”

The effect of his words was immediate. It was like the pirates were all put under some sort of love spell as they scrambled back to their seats and stared up at Dream with lovestruck expressions. 

“Hi Dream!” “No problems here Dream” “We were just playing around Dream!” “Yeah, we’re all being nice to each other, we’re even being nice to the pig!” The pirates all started talking at once in order to win over Dream’s attention. Dream just stood there and smiled charmingly, silently rejoicing the fact that he managed to relieve the tensions.

“He is truly something else,” said Schlatt to Techno. “And I’m going to try and make him mine!” With that, Schlatt went from the bar, tipped a non-existent hat at Techno, and went over to Dream. When he got there, he tapped Dream on the shoulder, kissed his hand, and began amicably chatting with him.

_ I’ve had enough of this clown show,  _ Techno thought to himself as he left the bar and headed upstairs to his table to go eat his food. When his back was turned, he didn’t notice Dream sneak a sort of sad glance his way as he watched Techno’s retreating figure from across the room.

When Techno got upstairs, he was served his dinner and began eating while looking out the window at the moonlit sea below. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice Dream come up the stairs and sit down at the table with him. When he turned back and saw Dream sitting there, he nodded his head to Dream and poured him a glass of wine.

“That Schlatt fellow is so interesting. Did you know that the first thing he asked me when we started talking was if I would marry him? It was really hilarious honestly” said Dream to Techno, who just let out a grunt in response. “Hey, I heard you caught the Badlands gang again, good job!” Dream was once again left in silence. It stayed like that for a minute more before Techno finally responded.

“What did you say to him? When he proposed?” asked Techno in a monotone voice. He was trying his best to keep his composure, but the thought of someone asking Dream to marry them made him feel this ugly feeling in his stomach for some reason.

Dream was a little surprised by Techno’s question, but then let out a soft chuckle. “Well, I told him about the three other sea pilots I’ve married. The first one died during the Great War, the second died in the Atlantic, and the third, he died in Asia…”

“So you finally heard news about George?” asked Techno, now fully focused on Dream.

“Yes, I got the call this morning. They found his remains in some remote part of Bengal. It’s funny Techno, I’ve been waiting for 3 years to hear something, but now that I have, I can’t even cry. I just feel numb. Maybe I’ve run out of tears.” There was another silence that seemed to last forever, while the two of them took in the sad news.

“Yeah well, it’s always the good guys that die,” said Techno somberly to Dream. He picked up his wine glass and motioned for Dream to do the same “To George. He was a good guy, may he rest in peace.”

They continued to sit and enjoy each other’s company until Techno finished his food. Dream left for a bit after clearing the table and sat back down with Techno, grabbing his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.

“I want to thank you Techno, for taking care of me all these years and making sure that everything goes well for me, You really are an amazing friend. I remember the old days so fondly-”

“Dream, I don’t like to think about the old days.” Techno cut off Dream quickly and let go of his hand. “And besides, you don’t need to thank me for anything, I’ve just been doing my job.”

“How are we ever going to break that stupid curse on you Techno? I miss your face, and you scratched it out on the only picture left of you as a human,” said Dream to Techno with a sad smile on his face.

“Face it, I’m a pig. I always have been and always will be. Good night Dream, sleep well.” with those parting words, Techno grabbed his coat and left the restaurant.

Dream watched from the window as Techno took off in his plane and flew away.  _ You strange man, I wonder if you’ll ever realize how much I really care for you…” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter :) Comments are very much appreciated, and I will be updating very soon. Until next time <3


	3. Battle Above the Seas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his way to Milan to get his plane's engine fixed, Technoblade finds himself under attack by Jschlatt, who wants nothing more than the bragging rights of bringing the great sea pilot down. Some unfortunate engine trouble timing causes Techno to "lose" the battle and be stranded on an island with an even more broken down ship. However, it doesn't change his plans to continue to Milan, much to the chagrin of Dream, who wants to keep Techno safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for taking so long with a chapter update, school has been kicking my ass :( I really enjoyed writing this one though, and I hope to have the next one up over the weekend :)
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

The next morning, Techno arrived at the bank to withdraw some money in preparation for his trip to Milan. He was planning on leaving as quickly and quietly as possible as to not arouse the suspicion of the pirates & his other enemies. Unfortunately for him, nothing ever goes his way, and he overheard some spies for the pirate say “There’s the pig, let’s go tell the boss!” Sighing, he continued on his way, pulling his hat lower on his head in annoyance. The bank was so close, but it felt like an eternity for him to get inside to the relative safety.

Once inside, he strode up to the teller and told him how much he wanted to withdraw from the bank, while also depositing his recent earnings in his account.

“Wow Mr. Technoblade, I wish I made as much money as you!’ said the teller in an upbeat voice

“Yeah yeah, I’m sure everyone does' ', replied Techno ``But they don’t know how hard it is to get it”, he said under his breath while placing the large sum he had withdrawn into an inconspicuous-looking suitcase. He thanked the teller and made his way out of the bank, making sure to not get recognized again.

_ Some hours later…  _

Techno had made it back home and was relaxing under the shade of a tree, just listening to some music on the radio, when an emergency broadcast abruptly ended one of his favorite songs. Annoyed, Techno was about to turn the radio off and head inside when he heard:

“The Badlands gang, along with the help of the American Sea Pilot Jschlatt, have looted and overtaken a boat carrying many luxury goods. The one message they left was this:  **“We’re coming for you… TECHNOBLADE!!!”**

Techno sat in silence for a moment before letting out a big sigh and shaking his head at thin air. He began packing up his suitcases and piling them into his plane.

_ Well, I guess that’s a sign that I need to get out of here, and fast, _ thought Techno to himself. _ Off to Milan early it is, I can’t wait to lay in a nice bed, eat good food, see the sights, and eat good food.  _

And with a final shake of his head, he headed into the sky.

While in the air, Techno noticed his plane was acting a little bit off. “Guess I have to fly carefully, don’t want this baby to give out on me halfway, he said to himself. He began flying slower and lower to the ocean in case something did decide to go wrong. Just as he was relaxing back into the feeling of relative safety, he heard the sound of another plane behind him.

Before he could make any sort of plan, the plane began shooting haphazardly at him. Not a single shot was close to Techno himself, but one managed to graze his already overworked engine, causing it to sputter and slow down even more.  _ You stupid American now isn’t the time!  _ thought Techno annoyedly as he flew higher in hopes to avoid the pilot's erratic shots.

“Hello, pig! I know you heard our message to you! Is that why you’re here? Fleeing in fear from the scary pirates?” Schlatt asked in a mocking tone.

“You wish! I’m just trying to get somewhere to get my plane fixed!” Techno responded, having to yell because of the distance between the two of them. 

Schlatt either didn’t hear him or didn’t care because he just started shooting at Techno again with a crazed sort of look on his face. Techno was really in no place to fight, and instead sped up his engine and flew under the cloud cover in order to get closer to the ocean. He prayed that Schlatt would stop being annoying and tailing him so that he could just continue on his way, but if there’s one thing Techno knows by now, it’s that nothing ever goes right for him. Schlatt persisted in following him, and continued shooting at Techno. It was at this exact moment that Techno’s engine finally decided to give out. With one final wheeze of defeat, the engine stopped and the plane began plummeting downwards.

“I DID IT! I SHOT THE PIG DOWN!” yelled Schlatt as he laughed maniacally, not knowing it was Techno’s engine troubles that caused the (literal) downfall of the pig-headed pilot.

Techno managed to brace himself for the landing and set up the floats on the plane to get him safely moving on the water. Schlatt's erratic shots had also shot off some small pieces of the plane, and the crash onto the ocean's surface broke them off and sent them drifting away into the sea. Techno, having made a quick plan while plummeting down, steered his battered plane onto a nearby island, where he beached it and hid the plane and himself in some brush. He waited there for a while as Schlatt came down to admire the wreckage.

Picking up a piece of Techno’s plane, Schlatt gave it a kiss and said, “I might take this back home as a gift for my mama”. With that final line, he got back into his plane and sped off, whooping and celebrating all the way out of Techno’s sight.

Techno continued hiding out in the brush for a few moments afterward, and when the coast was clear, he pushed his plane back out in the open and made a call from the radio attached to his boat.

“Mr. Dream Mr. Dream! There’s a call for you in the main lobby!” said an attendant of the hotel to Dream, who was on his way hurriedly out of the hotel.

“Thank you, but tell them to call back later, I have to get out to sea, Techno has been shot down and I need to save him!” Dream said while flagging down one of his hotel boats and hopping on.

“But sir, it’s Technoblade on the phone!” said the attendant anxiously, not wanting to upset Dream more. He was known to have a very scary side when upset.

Dream’s eyes widened when he realized what his attendant had said, and quickly jumped off the back of the boat and took off running to the hotel lobby.

When he arrived, he picked up the phone and breathed an audible sigh of relief when he heard a monotone voice say “Hey Dream, long time no chat.”

“TECHNO! I thought you were dead, What happened? Are you hurt? Where are you right now?” Dream asked hurriedly, out of breath from running and from nerves. 

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about me darling, our favorite American seaplane pilot knocked me out of the sky. I’m safe for now though, so we’re good.”

“And where do you think you’re going? You have no plane to fly! Techno please just come back home, for now, I want you to be safe.” said Dream, rage overtaking worry as Techno’s nonchalance started annoying him. 

“I’m in Milan right now” 

“MILAN!?!?!? ARE YOU CRAZY! The police have a warrant out for your arrest there! If you keep acting so pig-headed, you’re going to end up dead!”

“I can’t help who I am. Sorry baby, gotta fly”

Dream couldn’t help but flush at the name but was also enraged at techno’s response. “YOU SELFISH JERK!” With that, he slammed the phone down on the receiver and stormed off.

Techno was not happy with how that call went but felt relieved that Dream now knew where he was. Now to get his plane fixed…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I looked up actual seaplane terms for some of the scenes lol, the dedication is real >:3. Comments are much appreciated, until next time ! <3


	4. A Child and A Plane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno makes it to Philza & co, the place where he goes to get his plane fixed. Philza and Techno go way back and trust each other very much. When he arrives, he meets Tommy, Philza's annoying and energetic son, who persuades Techno into letting him work on his plane. Techno is grudgingly impressed with Tommy's spirit and settles into letting a child fix up his plane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Philza Minecraft as a character is hard lmao. Also, it's Tommy time! 
> 
> Also: THANK U FOR 100 KUDOS! I never expected to get so much love on my story, so thank you everyone! :D

It was pitch black when Techno finally landed in Milan. He made quick work of pulling into the back entrance to his repair place of choice. Philza & Co has been where Techno has gone to get his plane repaired for many years. The owner, Philza, was a very talented mechanic who did a thorough (though expensive) job on his plane, and his business partners were equally as talented. Phil and Techno go back many years and knew each other’s habits very well, evident by the fact that the back door to the factory was already unlocked. As Techno stepped inside, he was greeted by the shorter man holding out his hands for the money that Techno had brought along with him. 

“Nice to see you too Phil”, Techno said while brushing past Philza in favor of sitting down in one of the comfortable chairs positioned by a fireplace. “The door was open, how did you know I would be here?”

“Well I always know you like to travel under cover of night, and I didn’t feel like waiting out in the cold for your place, so I made it easier on myself and unlocked the door early,” said Phil while going to sit at his cash register. “Now, what will it be for today? New guns? Wing checkup?”

“The whole plane is broken Phil, especially the engine. I’m gonna need the ultimate tune-up,” said Techno wearily, watching as his battered plane was brought in on the back of a truck by one of Phil’s employees.  _ That’s weird, I’ve never seen that kid before. Must be a new worker…  _ thought Techno as he watched the boy, who couldn’t be more than 16, drive the truck into a larger part of the factory. The boy then hopped out and started unclasping the ropes holding down the plane.

“Where’d you get the kid from Phil?” asked Techno as his tired eyes fought to keep up with the speedy movements of the boy, who seemed to be moving as he had just drank 6 cups of coffee. “He seems too energetic for this time of night.”

“That’s my youngest son Tommy. He came to visit from England for the summer to learn how to work on and design seaplanes. I honestly don’t know why he’s so energetic, but he makes for a good coworker.” said Phil.

“Well there isn’t much of a resemblance between the two of you, he’s like a good 5 inches taller,” said Techno in his best attempt at a joking manner.

Phil just rolled his eyes while motioning Tommy to come over to them. The boy caught sight of Techno and immediately sped over to the two.

“MR. BLADE HELLO IT’S GOOD TO MEET YOU I CAN’T WAIT TO REDESIGN AND FIX YOUR PLANE!!!” yelled the boy, Tommy, very enthusiastically. Techno was very taken aback by his straightforwardness and confidence but continued to keep a straight face. Slowly, the meaning of Tommy’s words started to dawn on him.

“Woah Woah Woah, what do you mean  _ you  _ can’t wait to do that stuff? Phil, what happened to your coworkers?” asked Techno, not liking where this conversation was going.

“They went to France to find more work,” Phil said simply. “Now as for payment, I’m going to need all the money you have on you, including the extra in your pockets. We have a big job ahead of us and it’s not going to come cheap.” Noticing the incredulous look on Techno’s face, Phil added, “money is hardly worth anything at all these days, you should know this.”

Techno’s brain couldn’t comprehend what was going on. There was no way he was going to let some  _ child  _ work on his precious plane, and there was absolutely no way he was gonna spend all his money on this job. He had hotels to go to, food to eat! He sighed and started piling his money back into the suitcase that Phil had unlocked and was counting. He ignored the confused faces of Tommy and Phil as he started making his way to the door.

“Where do you think you’re going? No one else in Milan is going to fix your plane you know,” said Phil while moving to block the door from Techno.

“I’m taking my “worthless” money and getting out of here. I’m not letting some stranger work on my plane Phil. Thanks, but no thanks,” said Techno while attempting to push past the shorter man. 

“Don’t be such a pig, he’s a really talented engineer.” said Phil, slightly snickering at the small “yeah!” that Tommy chimed in the background. Techno just shook his head and was one foot out the door when Tommy spoke up. 

“Is it because I’m loud? Or because I’m a “child”? Why don’t you want me to do this? I’m up to the task, and I have so many plans for how to make your plane even better. I’ve studied a lot about it and please Mr. Blade just give me a chance.” Tommy said at such a fast speed that Techno almost couldn’t make out all the words.

“Actually it’s both” was Techno’s answer. Tommy didn't even look hurt at it, instead, his pleading face hardened into one of a clever businessman. “Well, I can’t help being annoying, but answer me this. What makes a good pilot? Is it skill? Years of practice?”

“Intuition,” said Techno immediately, not knowing where Tommy was taking this conversation.

“I know you would say that. I believe the same thing! I heard that the first time you flew a plane, you were a natural!” said Tommy knowingly. 

“That’s right, I flew my first one at 16,” said Techno, fondly remembering his first time flying a plane.

“16? That’s the same age I am!” said Tommy excitedly, knowing he had gotten the upper hand here. “I know I’m just a younger man, but you have to trust me when I say that I CAN DO THIS! I have the talent and the skill, I just need you to trust me Technoblade.” The passion and drive in Tommy’s voice awoke something in Techno, making him remember his old days of being a sea pilot and having a real passion for his job. He sighed and made his final decision.

“Fine. I’ll give you a chance. But you better give me a discount on this work Phil.” said Techno. Tommy let out a loud cheer and gave a big hug to Techno. “I WON’T LET YOU DOWN MR. BLADE! YOU CAN COUNT ON ME!” With that, he grabbed some blueprints and disappeared into a room off to the side. 

Not quite sure what had just happened, Techno sat back down dazedly and out his head in his hands.  _ Why can’t things just go smoothly for me??  _

“You can have a friend and family discount, plus I’ll let you stay in my guest room free of charge. Meals included!” said Phil, taking all of Techno’s cash and counting it eagerly. “Seriously Techno, don’t worry about Tommy. He is better than I was at his age.”

Techno let out a tired grunt and trudged to the guest room. He laid in the dark for a while, just remembering the old days of being a sea pilot. His thoughts drifted to Dream, and he blushed slightly as he remembered the fun times they had when they were younger.  _ I hope the American doesn’t come to visit him tonight…  _ thought Techno as he drifted off to sleep.

Back at the hotel, Dream was tossing and turning in bed, worried that Techno was in danger.  _ If there’s anyone up there, keep him safe…  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Shorter chapter this time around, sorry about that :( Might be a while before the next chapter comes out, but I promise more Dream and Techno being in love is coming soon!
> 
> Comments are much appreciated! Until next time <3


	5. The Hard Work Begins!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As construction on Techno's plane begins, he has a lot of free time to himself to think. During this time, he starts to admire Tommy's drive and work ethic more and more. Meanwhile, Dream is very worried for Techno's safety and makes a call to an old friend to make sure Techno is doing ok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone ! I'm back with another chapter, sorry for such a long wait >-<
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

The morning sun shone too brightly through the curtains of Techno’s guest room. Grumbling, he slowly dragged himself out of bed and got ready for the day. On his way to the bathroom, he noticed that Tommy’s door was open a bit. Curious as to what the younger could be doing at that moment, he peeked his head inside. Tommy was sitting at a worktable, sketching on a large piece of paper while muttering to himself. Next to him was an almost empty pot of coffee and a bunch of balled up pieces of paper. From this, Techno gathered that Tommy had been up all night working. 

“Hey, you know staying up all night isn’t good for young brains,” said Techno while fully walking into the room.

Tommy, who was too engrossed in his sketches to notice Techno, jumped out of his seat, effectively knocking over his mug of coffee that was already set precariously on the table. Cold coffee spilled all over him as he cursed and attempted to clean it up with a nearby towel. “Jeez man, can’t you give a guy a warning before sneaking up on him?”

Techno ignored Tommy’s complaining in favor of looking at what he had been working on. It was a blueprint of his plane, but with notes on possible modifications and tweaks that should be added. Techno was very impressed by how much thought was put into each note and suggestion. Apparently, it showed on his face because Tommy gave up on cleaning his clothes and eagerly made his way over to Techno. 

“Do you like it? I was up all night designing things and just hoping that it would be good enough for you to give me the job” said Tommy excitedly.

Techno stared at the work for a long mute, scrutinizing every piece of information written down. A lot of this stuff was things he had never even thought of, who knew a 16-year-old kid could think of something this genius

Turning towards Tommy again, Techno said “You’ve got the job. Just promise me you won’t stay up all night again, it's not good for you.”

  
  


Tommy’s face lit up with pure joy when Techno said those words. He ran up to Techno and gave him a huge hug. “Thank you! Thank you! I won’t let you down, Mr. Blade!” With a quick final hug, Tommy rushed out the door talking excitedly to himself about getting materials and parts for the plane. Still a bit disoriented by the quick change of emotion from the child, Techno made his way out of the room and to where he was originally going.

Later that day, preparations were already being made to fix up Techno’s plane. Tommy had outlined all the work that needed to be done, and Techno had said “There’s no way you can do that all yourself.” With a mischievous glint in his eye, Tommy had just simply said “you’re right.” and walked off. 

What happened next was the last thing Techno expected; while eating his lunch outside, he noticed that there was a large group of people headed towards the factory. As they got closer and closer, the confusion in Techno’s mind just grew; all of them had work clothes on and ranged from teenagers to elderly people. As he finished eating, he watched as they made their way into the factory talking, giggling, and gossiping away. Curious as to what was going on, he followed them inside, where Phil noticed him and ushered him all the way in. 

“Ah Techno just in time, you can meet the crew!” he said enthusiastically to a very confused Technoblade.

“The… the crew?? You mean these people are going to be working on  _ MY  _ plane??” Techno asked in an incredulous voice. Philza just chuckled and nodded. “They are hard workers and plus, they offered to work for free, and who am I to pass up a chance of free labor?” Phil said while walking towards the crowd. “Come over here Techno let me introduce you to them!”

“This is Tubbo, he’s Tommy’s best friend, and this is Fundy, this is Quackity, and these lovely ladies are Tommy’s grandmothers, oh here’s my cousins from across the city, and how could I forget the lovely Niki.” there were so many people that Techno could barely keep track of their names, but he shook all of their hands and accepted the hugs that the old ladies gave him. 

Once the work actually began, Techno found himself with a lot of free time. A good amount of it was spent watching the building crew work on the plane, but he had a lot of free time to just think. He thought about everything from new attack strategies to what he wanted for dinner. While he would never admit it out loud, he also spent a lot of time thinking about Dream and hoping that he was doing ok. Actually, now that he thinks of it, he has been thinking about Dream more and more each day.  _ Maybe I should call him,  _ Techno thought one day while staring out at the river that was nearby the factory.  _ No, why would he want to hear from me, I just make him upset and worried, and that’s the last thing I want him to feel,  _ he reasoned with himself. In an attempt to get Dream out of his thoughts, he went up to Tommy and asked how things were going.

“Mr. Blade I have so many plans for your plane! The only problem is, Phil says that they are too expensive and that you’re too poor to afford what I want.” he looked down sadly at that last part, and Techno felt a strange urge to pat the kid on the head and comfort him. Instead, he made a decision to make himself happier.

“I’ll talk to Phil about paying for the extra parts you need for the plane, don’t stress kid. And call me Techno, Mr. Blade sounds too formal,” he said to Tommy, who looked up at him with a giant grin.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.- I mean Techno. You won’t regret this!!” With that, he ran over to his friend Tubbo and began chatting excitedly with him. The two let out a cheer and ran over to the station where Tommy’s sketches and blueprints were. Techno felt a warmth in his chest and thought  _ no way, this kid is really growing on me _ . 

Techno found himself watching Tommy work more often, and noticed that he would stay up as late as possible working, but never staying up all night. It seemed like he wanted everything to be perfect but also wanted to honor Techno’s request. Techno felt a surge of pride at that, knowing that the kid was going to do great. He smiled to himself and went to bed, thinking more of how his plane would turn out rather than a certain someone.

Meanwhile, during Techno’s days of boredom and thought in Milan, Dream was busy every day managing the hotel and entertaining guests. He had to deal with Schlatt coming in every day to boast about his achievements and propose to Dream each time (which Dream continued to politely decline). He was so worried for Techno, after he had left the army, they had been monitoring him to make sure he didn’t come back to Italy. Of course, that damn pig had to go straight to one of the busiest cities there, and even worse, he hasn’t heard from him since that fateful day. Masking his worry with smiles and charm, Dream made it through the days without rousing any suspicion, but at nights, he looked outside his window and continued to pray that Techno would come back safe soon. 

_ Maybe I should call Skeppy, he might know where Techno is,  _ thought Dream one night while in bed. He quickly hopped out of bed and went to his bookcase. Finding a small latch on the side, he unlocked it to reveal a telephone. Dialing up Skeppy’s number, Dream waited until he heard a voice on the other side say “Hello?”

“Skeppy hi, its Dream. I’m calling you because Techno is in Milan right now and I haven’t heard from him for about a week. I know you patrol in the area, so I was wondering if you’ve seen him around at all?” Dream asked in a quick and urgent tone. 

“Woah Woah Woah slow down loverboy. Techno can take care of himself, we all know this. But to calm your nerves, yes I have seen him around. I’ll try to arrange a meeting tomorrow with him so I can check in on how he’s doing. However, you know that because I know, the rest of the army knows too.” said Skeppy switching from a joking tone to a more serious one at the end. 

“I know Skeppy, thank you for letting me know though. I trust Techno, but I can’t help but worry for him, after all, I lo- I care for him,” said Dream, face turning red at the slip up he almost made. 

He could almost hear the smile on Skeppy’s face when he replied saying, “Ok Dream, don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, I’ll let Techno know that he needs to get back to safety soon, and maybe I’ll send him a little smooch from you!”

“SKEPPY! That isn’t funny! You are so-” Dream didn’t get to finish his sentence as Skeppy cut him off with a laugh and hung up. Fuming, Dream went back to his bed and laid down, cursing Skeppy for being such a troll. As he drifted off to sleep, his angry thoughts were replaced with a silent joy because he knew Techno was safe.  _ Be careful Techno, I need you to come home soon so I can tell you…  _ Dream’s thoughts drifted away as he fell asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter ! It was originally going to be just about Techno but I added a Dream part because we can never have enough Dream :D
> 
> Thank you for reading, comments are much appreciated ! Until next time <3


	6. Two Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno and Skeppy meet up and chat about Techno's safety. Skeppy's words ring true in Techno's ears, which leads him to think deeper about what it means to care for someone. On the way home after meeting, a dangerous and intense car chase happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys ! Sorry for the late update, I've been taking some rest days (aka playing Animal Crossing), but I'm really proud of this chapter :D 
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

Techno got the note early in the morning the next day. Someone was throwing rocks at his guest bedroom window, but when he looked outside to check, there was nothing there except a note tied to a large rock. It read: 

_D is worried for you. Meet me at 2 pm at our old place. I have info - S_

Techno immediately knew what this meant, and got himself prepared to go out and meet his old friend Skeppy. He prepared a disguise to hide from any unwanted eyes and let Phil know that he was heading out. They both decided not to tell Tommy anything because he was known to have a big mouth. 

When the time to meet rolled around, Techno headed out and made his way through the quiet city streets. He caught some suspicious movement out of the corner of his eye once or twice but wasn’t attacked or bothered on his way to the meeting place. The place in question was a movie house, a place where Dream, Skeppy, Techno, and Wilbur would all go during the hot summers of their childhood. Techno almost got lost in a daydream about the good old days, but quickly shook it off in favor of heading into the dark and inconspicuous theater. Once inside, he ordered himself some popcorn ( _What the heck, if I’m gonna meet in a movie house, I’m gonna get snacks)_ And headed into the room where the movie was playing. The movie for today was a love story between a pilot and a girl from a nearby town. He laughed to himself at the irony of it and soon spotted some black fluffy hair amidst the movie watchers.

He silently sat next to Skeppy, who nodded in acknowledgment at Techno’s arrival and started reaching for Techno’s bag of popcorn in an attempt to get some for himself. Techno allowed him to as he thought, _he’s risking his life to meet with me, I’ll let him have a bit._ They sat in silence for a bit enjoying each other's company, as it had been years since they last saw each other, but Skeppy soon spoke in a hushed voice saying:

“They know you’re here Techno. What made you think that you could come back and not be found out?”

“You think I don’t know that Skeppy? I’ve been staying on the super down-low this whole time, I’m just trying to get my plane fixed up. Besides, what will they want with a pig like me?”

“This isn’t some kind of joke Techno. You need to get out of here tonight. They know where you are staying and they’re planning on raiding it tonight. Or, you could take up my offer. I have influence in the army now. I’m sure I could work something out with them to help you get back on their good side. We need you Techno, we need your skill.”

“Thanks but no thanks buddy, I’d rather be a pig than work for the government. Besides, being a bounty hunter pays just fine, I don’t need dirty blood money from the army. This movie stinks, it’s not even good.”

Skeppy shook his head solemnly at Techno and faced his attention back to the movie for a bit. He then replied saying, “Bounty hunters are going extinct Techno. The government is recruiting them for their own or stripping them of their plane and license. You and I both know that the hunters who disobey them get an even worse punishment, and I don’t want that for you.”

“I only fly for myself.” 

“And what about Dream? How do you think he would feel if something happened to you. He’s already lost so much, he can’t lose you too. He cares for you so much, you know that Techno. Fly for him too. Be safe for him.” Skeppy pleaded with Techno in an attempt to get him to see reason. What he said must’ve struck a nerve, because Techno finally dropped the nonchalant attitude in favor of quiet but very present rage.

“Don’t you _dare_ bring Dream into this! He doesn’t care for me. He’s just holding on to what he thinks is the last piece of his past. If he _really_ cared for me, he wouldn’t have chosen Wilbur. Or Sapnap or George. He only wants me for the memories! I want him for more than that, but we both know it will _never_ happen! I said it once and I’ll say it again: I only fly for _myself_.” The thoughts that had been simmering in Techno’s mind from these past few weeks finally came to a boiling point and spilled over. He regretted saying the words as soon as they were out, but there was no going back. His feelings were out for Skeppy to see, and he had never felt more vulnerable in his life. Flushed in anger and embarrassment, he turned his face back to the movie in mock interest. 

Skeppy, not expecting an outburst like that from the normally silent and resigned Techno, was at a loss for words for a few moments. He soon collected himself and placed a reassuring hand on Techno’s shoulder. The latter tensed up but then relaxed into the familiar comforting touch of his old friend.

“Techno, you can’t really believe that. I think it’s been a long time since you felt love, and you’re forgetting what it feels like. Dream cares for you. I care for you. I think it’s time for you to find someone to care for.”

Techno sat in silence for a while, taking in what Skeppy had said. Sighing, he passed the rest of the popcorn to Skeppy and got up. 

“I’ll be out of here by tonight.”

“You really are a pig,” said Skeppy lightheartedly. “I’ll make sure you have a safe exit. Be safe, friend.”

Techno smiled slightly at his friend and began to make his way out of the theater. Skeppy stuck around for the rest of the film, munching on the popcorn and thinking to himself, _Techno doesn’t know what he’s talking about, this movie is really good._

Techno exited the theater and began making his way back to the factory. While walking, his mind drifted to what Skeppy had said. _“I think it’s time for you to find someone to care for.”_ Thinking hard, he tried to puzzle out who he cared for. _I guess I care for Phil. No, he’s just a business friend. I don’t think there’s anyone…_ His mind began to envision a certain engineer with a loud voice, blond hair, and a passion for building planes. Tommy. In the past few weeks that Techno had spent at the factory, the kid had sure grown on him. His spirit and energy never failed to amaze Techno, and his skill with working on the seaplane was better than anyone Techno had ever met. He had found himself rooting for Tommy in all of his endeavors and hoping that the kid had a good future ahead of him. _Oh hell, I think I care for the child…_

As if summoned by Techno’s thoughts alone, a loud but very recognizable truck drove up behind Techno. 

“TECHNOOOOOOO! DO YOU NEED A RIDE???” yelled the child himself, barely old enough to drive the truck on his own, but doing it anyway. _Is it too late to take back my thoughts on this kid,_ Techno thought to himself while walking up to the truck.

“Slide over kid, I’m driving,” said Techno while shooing Tommy to the passenger seat. They began driving again, and Tommy started talking to Techno nonstop.

“So I was thinking tonight we could test fly the plane in the nearby lake. There are some things I want to tune-up, but I need to see it in flight first. Also, the emergency lever might be a bit jammed, so I’m going to need you to try it out so I can see how much I need to oil it.”

While Tommy was rambling, Techno noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Government cars were tailing them. Speeding up the truck, he said “hold on tight” to Tommy and began driving like a madman.

Not expecting the sudden change of speed, Tommy was jostled around a lot before stabilizing himself in his seat. 

“Techno what the hell are you doing! Why so fast all of a sudden big man?!?!”

“Two things kid: First, don’t look behind you, we’re being followed. Second, there will be no testing because I’m leaving tonight,” said Techno calmly while swerving through narrow and winding streets. 

Of course, Tommy looked behind him and saw the cars tailing. He spotted someone holding what looked like a pistol in their hand and quickly turned back to the front.

“What the hell! What the HELL!!! Techno what is going on?!!?!?!? Are you a spy or something??? Why are they chasing us with GUNS!???” Tommy yelled while looking out the passenger-side rearview mirror. No matter how Techno drove, the cars stayed on their tail. “Wait a minute, why no test runs? We don’t know if the plane is ready!!”

“Well kid, you see those cars behind me? Yeah, they’re trying to hunt me down and serve me as tomorrow's breakfast to the army. I’m not a spy, that is such a childish thing to think. Lastly, if you couldn’t already tell, I’m very wanted in this city, so I’ve got to get out as soon as possible.”

Tommy sat in stunned silence before asking yet another question: “Why does it seem like you’ve done this before?”

“Because I have, kid. Every time I come here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter ! I teased some upcoming important info in this chapter and I'm so happy with how things are progressing :DDD
> 
> Comments and feedback are much appreciated ! Until next time <3
> 
> p.s. expect more frequent updates since I am now on winter break :D


	7. Escape!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Techno take off from the factory and back to Techno's base. On their way, they are ambushed by the government, who are trying to take Techno down. With a little help from Skeppy, the two of them make it on their way to getting back to safer waters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick update before some big stuff happens hehe. The next update should be tomorrow or in two days !
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

Finally having gotten the cars off their tail, Techno and Tommy continued along the road on the way to the factory. Techno explained more to Tommy about how the government didn’t want him to fly his plane unless it was for them and how he didn’t want any part of that. Tommy resignedly agreed to let Techno take his plane tonight, but warned that things may not be as smooth as he wanted. 

“I’m willing to take the risk kid. I’ve been flying for years, I think I can handle a couple of bumps on the road.”

**_Later that night…_ **

As the night drew closer, Techno had prepared himself for takeoff. He was loading his belongings into the back of the plane when he noticed hushed conversation from the other side. When he peeked, he saw Tommy getting suited up in flying gear while talking to Phil and Tubbo. 

“I’ll be ok guys, don’t worry. Yes, Phil, I have enough clothes packed. Yes Tubbo, I’ll bring you back a souvenir.” Techno heard Tommy saying to the pair.

“Wait a minute, where do you think you’re going?? I’m not letting some kid fly with me. Tommy, this isn’t some joyride, you do realize that the secret police could be right outside this door, ready to shoot me as soon as we come into contact?”

Tommy ignored Techno’s warnings in favor of loading his suitcase in the back of the plane as well. He started rigging up the second seat in a hidden compartment that Techno hadn’t noticed until now.  _ Damn kid was planning on coming with me the entire time,  _ thought Techno with annoyance (but also a silent pride).

“Tommy. You do realize I’m a wanted criminal in this country, and I am currently on my way to have a dangerous fight with another very skilled sea pilot? Bullets will be flying everywhere!” said Techno exasperatedly.

Tommy just shrugged and held up a piece of strong-looking wood and plastic. “I made this to cover me while we fly. Techno, you need the engineer with you while you fly just in case I need to make last-minute tuneups or changes. I know you care about me, but just trust me. I’ve got this.” said Tommy with a finality in his voice that was such a shift from his usual joking demeanor.

_ Care… I guess I do care for this kid…  _

“Fine, but you better unload a gun from the back. You might be skinny, but you are too tall to fit comfortably in there.” 

Tommy’s face lit up and he got to work moving things around so he could get seated. Before Techno took off, Fundy and Quackity came from outside the factory.

“Phil, there’s three secret police outside waiting for Technoblade to take off!” they said. 

“I’m going to get you all in trouble, they’re gonna arrest you for helping me and Tommy is going to be in as much trouble as I am!” said Techno wearily. Phil simply smiled and shook his head at Techno.

“Not to worry friend, we have the whole story planned out. Tommy is now your hostage and you are kidnapping him. As for us, we were forced to build and help you take off in your plane.” said Phil with a huge grin on his face. Techno couldn’t help but smile a bit at his friend’s creativity and quick thinking. 

“Alright, we’ll be heading out now. Phil, are you sure you’re comfortable with letting the kid come with me?” 

“Of course, I’m practically giving away my best worker to you, I’ll only charge you a small fee though,” said Phil. His voice took a more serious tone when he said “Take care of him for me Techno, he’s still just a child.”

“Of course Phil,” said Techno. “Now, let me get out of here before anyone else wants to come along.”

Techno hopped into the plane and got his engine started up. All of Tommy’s friends were waving goodbye to him, and he was eagerly waving back. As the workers opened the factory doors, a rush of adrenaline-filled Techno. Dangerous escapes, the prospect of a gunfight, and the thought that he’d soon be home filled him with an extensive joy. He slowly began to move outside of the factory and was greeted by the cold crisp night air.

Almost immediately, three figures across the river began shooting at the plane. Techno shot back at them with his long-range guns, and they quickly backed off. He began to skim the river with his plane in an attempt to take off. He noticed that he was having trouble getting the plane into flight mode, and they were headed straight towards a bridge. He quickly turned on the communication system for him and Tommy. 

“Kid I could really use some help right now! Nothing is working and we need to get up in the air  _ NOW!”  _ he said urgently. Tommy poked his head out of his spot and began tinkering with controls in the plane. 

“I think I can fix it in a bit, for now, I just need you to grab the lever on your left and pull on it as hard as you can!” yelled Tommy over the loud sounds of splashing water and strong winds. Techno did just what Tommy asked and managed to escape hitting the bridge, but just barely. With a final pull, they made it up into the air. Knowing that they were safe for the time being, Techno relaxed and motioned Tommy to start working. As the younger was making tuneups, Techno kept his eyes on the sky for a particular plane.

In the distance, an army plane was headed towards them. The only difference of this one was that it had a blue diamond painted on the sign.  _ Thank god, he arrived just in time,  _ thought Techno with relief. As Skeppy flew closer to them, Techno began sending a message across to him. 

“Thanks for coming. Any danger up ahead?”

Skeppy replied with: “ Ambush up ahead. Fly as high as you can and you won’t be spotted. Take care of yourself and say hi to Dream for me.”

“Will do. Thank you for everything friend,” replied Techno. Tommy poked his head out and waved at Skeppy as he was retreating. Skeppy noticed the younger in the backseat and stopped flying to send another message. Techno flushed angrily and made a very rude hand gesture at Skeppy, who was retreating with a mischievous grin on his face.

“Who was that? What did he say Techno?” asked Tommy, who noticed Techno’s change in attitude.

“That was my  _ dear  _ friend Skeppy from the army. And he said  _ Nice kid you got there, when did you start babysitting? _ ” Techno said grumpily while flying the plane higher in the air. Tommy made a sound of indignation and settled himself back into his cramped seat. 

“I fixed up what I could, but we’re going to have to make a stop somewhere so I can work a little more. Got any places in mind?” said Tommy.

“Yeah, I’ve got a place, but sit tight, for now, we’ll be there in a bit,” replied Techno. He knew of two places, but right now he didn’t want to confront Dream. He still needed time to think about what he felt towards the hotel owner, so he decided to fly them to a nearby rest stop for bounty hunters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter, I have a lot planned for chapter 8 though so be excited for that ^-^
> 
> Comments are much appreciated! Until next time <33


	8. Long Standing Bet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream receives an unwelcome guest in his garden, and Techno spots them on his way back home. Jealousy erupts from him, and memories of the past fuel negative emotions inside of the pig.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this chapter on a call with my girlfriend, so it must be a good one :D
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

The day was calm and warm with a light breeze that would blow every so often. Dream decided it was a good day to relax in his garden and read a book. He let his attendants know that he was going to take the afternoon off, and he got himself settled in a remote corner of the garden with a perfect view of the ocean. He had just settled into a calm reading pace and was getting to a good part of the book when he heard a loud grunt and a thud. Confused as to what was happening, he bookmarked his page and looked out from his reading corner.

“Alas, a solitary rose blooms in a secret garden,” said Schlatt while dusting himself off. He tried to play off his fall as if it had never happened by bowing low to Dream. “Do you like that line? It’s from a screenplay I wrote called  _ The Hidden Rose _ ”.

As expected, Dream was not charmed at all. “Why are you trespassing in my garden Mr. Jschlatt?” he asked in an unimpressed voice. He just wanted a day to relax and not worry about stupid seaplane pilots and their failing attempts to charm him.

“Well I stopped by the hotel earlier to come to see you and they said you were spending the day off in your garden. So I decided ‘hey what the hell’ and came to pay you a visit. Plus, I have something to show you” with a wiggle of his eyebrows, Schlatt pulled out a piece of paper from his pockets. He handed it over to Dream and let him read it for a moment. Dream’s eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

“It's from Hollywood!  _ Dear Mr. Jschlatt, we are happy to inform you that your screenplay has been approved for filming- _ ”

“ _ And we will consider you for the lead role _ ” finished Schlatt with a smug grin on his face. 

“This is really amazing, good for you Mr. Jschlatt!” said Dream. Schlatt’s grin changed to one of genuine happiness. “I have big plans for when I return to America including this!”

“Big plans you say? Pray, tell Mr. Jschlatt, what are these big plans?” Dream asked sarcastically. Schlatt took it as Dream being serious and answered with a puffed chest.

“Well, I’m already a famous seaplane pilot, and I want to be a movie star too. And after that-”

“There’s more??” asked Dream with mock interest.

“THE PRESIDENT!!” replied Schlatt in a grandiose voice. The words hung in the air for a few minutes before Dream burst out laughing. The confidence that Schlatt had began to melt away into a sad sort of confusion.

“Why are you laughing, don’t you believe me???” said Schlatt in a softer and sadder tone. Dream’s laugh tapered off into small chuckles, and he had to take a few moments to compose himself before responding.

“I find your ambition very charming Mr. Jschlatt” was all he said in reply. At those words, Schlatt perked up again and smiled wide. 

“So it’s decided then! You’ll come with me to America! I want you to be there with me when I make it big!”

Dreams expression changed from one of amusement to a more wistful expression. “No Mr. Jschlatt. I can’t. You see, I have a long-standing bet with myself. I bet myself that if a certain man comes to visit me when I’m out here in my garden, the two of us will fall in love. But that idiot only comes to my hotel at night, and right now I don’t know if he ever will again.” Dream’s eyes turned sad and he let out a soft sigh as he turned his eyes to the ocean.

Schlatt was about to reply when they both heard the sound of a plane approaching in the distance. Dream knew the sound of that engine anywhere and quickly ran past Schlatt to the balcony of his garden. Looking around in the skies, he quickly spotted the familiar red plane heading his way. Schlatt caught up behind Dream and saw what he did.

“Technoblade’s plane?? But I thought he was dead!” said Schlatt mostly to himself. Dream just rolled his eyes and continued watching the plane fly closer and closer. His hopes rose as the plane seemed to not detour on its way to the hotel.  _ Maybe this is the moment! _ , he thought to himself as he watched Techno’s plane. The smile on his face grew at the thought of his dear Techno coming to visit him and that the pig was safe and alive.

As Dream and Schlatt both watched, Techno spotted them in the garden. On the way there, he had thought about Dream a lot and made the decision that it was time to reveal his true feelings to him. The whole ride, he had been silently planning what to say and what to do, and he had never felt more nervous and excited in his life. However, seeing his rival and his love together, standing so close in the garden, being together where Techno longed to be, made his heart ache and harden. He was too late. 

_ You’re so stupid. Of course, he would want the handsome strong famous, and rich American over you. You’re nothing but a dirty pig. You’re nothing. Worthless. He doesn’t care for you. He never did, and he never will.  _ **_Just give up._ **

So many negative thoughts swirled around in his head as he flew closer to the hotel. It felt like he was suffocating. Drowning under a sea of pain and emotion.  _ Hide it hide it hide it hide it,  _ his mind chanted over and over. It was at that moment that he made the split-second decision.  _ I’m not going to fight the stupid American. He wins. He wins it all. But I can do one thing that he can’t: I can fly.  _

Changing his course, Techno began to do many dangerous tricks in his plane, completely forgetting that there was another passenger aboard. Fueled by jealousy and rage, he did increasingly more dangerous stunts in the air before flying very close to the hotel. He could see Dream’s face; he looked so happy and content. All thanks to that damn American. He made it seem like he was going to land, but then pulled up into the air and flew as fast and far away from the hotel as he could. The last thing he glimpsed was Dream’s face falling from happiness to confusion.  _ Serves him right, if he thought I was going to go see him after what I just saw, he must be as dumb as the American. Two idiots together, it’s a match made in heaven,  _ thought Techno savagely as he flew off towards their new destination, the rest stop. 

Meanwhile, Dream was so confused. He thought that Techno was coming to see him. He had truly believed that this was the moment he had been dreaming of for years. What had changed? Why did he leave?  _ He doesn’t love you, he will never come to visit you,  _ said a small voice in Dream’s head. Stumbling away from the balcony, Dream made his way slowly to the seat he was at before.  _ You will never find love again. _

“You idiot,” said Dream quietly to himself. Schlatt came over to Dream and put a hand on his shoulder. “What happened, are you ok? Do you need water? A snack?” he asked in worry, thinking that Dream had become faint. 

“No Mr. Jschlatt, I’m ok. I just lost the bet once again,” said Dream with a sad chuckle. SIghing, he put his head in his hands and said “If you don’t mind, I’d really like to be left alone now.”

Schlatt spent a second taking in Dream’s words before saying loudly “ **_THE PIG??_ ** You’d choose the pig over me??”

Dream lifted his head from his hands and said in a deadpan voice, “Love here is different from what you are used to in America Mr. Jschlatt.  _ You _ fall in love with the first person you see, while  _ we _ fall in love with those who have cared for us for a long time. I will never love you, nor will I go to America with you. Now leave my garden.  **NOW.** ”

Scared by the change in tone of Dream’s voice, Schlatt scrambled out of the garden as fast as he could. Once he left, he was filled with anger.  _ So, he loves the damn pig instead of me. Fine. I guess I’ll have to defeat him once and for all, and I know just how to do that…  _

Hopping into his plane, Jschlatt flew off towards a group of people he knew could help him win against the pig one final time.

Back on Techno’s plane, Tommy decided to poke his head out of his spot and give Techno a piece of his mind. “ _ WHAT THE HELL MAN!  _ Cut it out with the acrobatics, please!! I feel sick to my stomach and I hit my head like 50 times!!!!” he said grumpily. 

Techno, having forgotten that Tommy was there with him, felt a little guilty for hurting the kid so much. Instead of letting out more vulnerable emotions, he decided on saying, “Sorry kid, I was just showing off for an old friend. I’ll be more careful next time.”

Tommy’s anger changed to a conspiratorial smirk when he realized where they had just passed. “Was it Dream that you were showing off to? Phil says that every sea pilot in Italy falls madly in love with Dream’s charm, and I bet you are no different! So Techno, are you in looooooove???” Tommy said while laughing to himself. Techno embarrassed that Tommy could catch on so quickly, deflected the question by saying “Get your skinny self back into your seat before I do a complete loop and make you fall out.” When Tommy refused to stop making kissy faces and chanting “Techno’s in love! Techno’s in love!”, Techno began to do more crazy tricks. Tommy quickly stopped and yelled frantic apologies while trying to get back into his seat. The kid’s funny antics lightened Techno’s mood considerably as he continued flying towards the rest stop. They chatted about how the plane was running for a while before Tommy asked, “So when did you meet Dream? You say you’re not in love with him, but you said you guys are old friends.”

Techno sighed, knowing that Tommy would never shut up if he didn’t tell him this one thing. “Well, we met many years ago in Milan. I had two other friends besides Dream, Skeppy, and Wilbur, and we were all neighbors. We would hang out every day and watch the sea pilots fly to and from the city. One night, we all made a pact to become seaplane pilots for the army in the future. All of us except Dream. He never liked flying planes, but he promised to always be there to support us along the way. We’ve been friends ever since, and all of us did what we set out to.” Techno left out the part about him leaving the army and about Wilbur, but Tommy didn’t ask for more. Instead, he just made a sound of contentment at the story and settled into his seat. They flew the rest of the way in silence, and Techno couldn’t help but remember one day from when they were younger.

_ It was a warm and calm day, similar to the one that present-day Techno was in. The waters were calm and there were not many planes in the air. Dream and Techno were giddily running to the pier where Techno’s new plane, the Sogñare, was parked. Hopping into the plane, they took off into the sky. Dream was amazed by the views they had in the sky, and Techno was so happy to show Dream how amazing flying could be. They cruised in the air for a while before dipping down towards the ocean. As they skimmed the sea, Techno turned around and pulled Dream into the pilot’s seat with him. Drema tumbled into his lap and stared up at him with windblown hair and a flush from the cold air (and maybe something else). They sat there in silence, just staring at each other, silently daring one another to make the first move. It was Techno who took the initiative and closed the gap between himself and Dream. It was a short kiss, but full of love and unspoken words. When they pulled apart, Dream blushed deeply and scrambled back to his seat in the back of the plane. Not sure what this meant for the two of them, Techno flew them quickly back to the dock, where they parted ways in silence. You see, Dream was already in a relationship with Wilbur, and they were planning on getting married soon…  _

_ Dream and Techno never spoke of that moment again, and Dream went and got married to Wilbur 6 months later. Techno was the best man, but throughout the whole wedding, he couldn’t stop thinking about what he had felt with that kiss. _

Not wanting to make himself even sadder than he was, Techno pushed the memory to the back of his head. He always has been and always will be too late for Dream… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST!   
> Ok, so this was my first time writing a kissing scene and major angst so I'm sorry if it is absolutely scuffed. However, I had so much fun writing this, and I hope everyone enjoyed it :D
> 
> Comments are much appreciated, until next time <3


	9. Honor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Techno receives news about the status of bounty hunters has changed, he postpones plans to fight Schlatt for a while. However, life has a different plan for him. The Badlands gang, Tommy, and Schlatt all strike up a deal that forces Techno into a 1v1 with Schlatt for the upcoming weekend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone ! I hope people had a very good Christmas/holiday season :D We're almost to the end of the story :O
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

When they arrived at the rest stop, Techno parked the plane in a quiet inlet and let Tommy work while he went to get some fuel and breakfast for them. As Tommy was working, he noticed another tall boy rowing a plane towards him. He was wearing dark sunglasses and a mask over his nose and mouth, so Tommy couldn’t make out his features, but he could tell that the other was confused about his presence.

“Woah, what’s a kid doing on Techno’s plane?” asked the boy in the boat, who looked to be about the same age as Tommy. Tommy immediately got fired up and angry for his engineering talents being overlooked, and yelled angrily at the boy, “Oy dickhead! I’m not a kid, I’m a huge and strong man. Techno hired me to work on and fix up his plane  _ for your information _ . Anyway, you look the same age as me so you have no right calling  _ me  _ a kid!” The sunglasses boy just laughed at Tommy’s aggressive attitude and began to unload fuel from the boat. “Fair enough, I just wasn’t expecting Techno’s engineer to be a child.”

Still fuming at the nerve of this boy, Tommy asked “So where is Techno anyway, and who are you??” The boy stood up from the boat and began fuelling the plane; he had to be at least 3 inches taller than Tommy. Slightly (and he means very slightly) intimidated by the boy, Tommy backed off a bit from him but still watched from a distance with arms crossed. 

“Techno is busy having a serious talk with my dad at his store about sea pilot stuff. And my name is Ranboo, its nice to meet you.” The boy, Ranboo, held out a gloved hand for Tommy to shake. Tommy frowned at this Ranboo character but still shook his hand while saying “My name is Tommy and it’s not much of a pleasure to meet you.”

Meanwhile, inside the store, Techno and Ranboo’s father, the store owner, were having a conversation about what was going on with sea pilots. “The government has been starting to strike deals with seaplane pirates. I’m afraid you’re not going to be making a penny from bounty hunting anymore Techno.” said the store owner to him sadly. Techno made no reaction as he took in the information just given to him. His breakfast order was delivered to him, and he thanked the server. “Well, sounds like you’re out of a job Techno,” said the server to him as she began cleaning up nearby tables. A couple of old men having coffee overheard their conversation and made their way over to Techno and the owner. 

“You should join one of the army’s factions Techno! With your skill, you’re guaranteed to have a spot there, and a well paying one at that!” they said eagerly. “Especially after that pilot, Jschlatt, goes back to America!” Techno just shook his head at them and grabbed his order. On his way out the door, he thanked the store owner and said, “Farewell to the days of freedom and to days of wild abandon.” The old men laughed at his quote and asked, “What is that, Shakespeare?” “No, it’s Technoblade” replied Techno while leaving.

As Techno approached his plane, he could hear the sounds of Tommy arguing with someone. Sighing, he took a few seconds to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to walk (or row) into. Tommy spotted Techno arriving and immediately called out for him saying, “Techno! The price of gas here is ridiculous!!! This boy is charging us three times what we pay back home!” The boy frowned and replied, “Well it’s because  _ we  _ don’t dilute our fuel like you guys do. Tell him Techno, he won’t stop yelling unless you set him straight!” It was moments like these where Techno couldn’t tell if he loved or hated Tommy’s outspokenness. Deciding that it was a good idea to end this now and get back to his home, he said “Tommy, just pay the kid what you owe him. I want to go home and give the plane a rest.” Grumbling, Tommy pulled out some money, and angrily handed it to the other boy. “Fine, but the gas money is just gonna go on your bill anyway.”

Techno and Tommy took off into the air soon after that, and Techno flew slow to let Tommy eat as well as let him know the latest update. “So kid, we’re going to have to lie low for a bit before I go fight Schlatt. It’s really dangerous for bounty hunters and I’d rather fight the American in safer conditions so I don’t get hauled to jail as soon as I take off. We’ll stay in my hideout and finalize the plane before anything. I’ll ask around to see when and where I can fight Schlatt, but for now, we are just going to relax.” Tommy made a sound of agreement while quickly finishing his sandwich. 

When they arrived at the hideout, Tommy was awestruck by the clear and calm water surrounding Techno’s island. “It's so beautiful here Techno, you have such a cool hideout!” he said while beginning to stretch and run on the sand. Techno was unloading their stuff and bringing it to shore when he heard a quiet “ _ ow!”  _ from in his tent. Confused, Tommy stopped stretching and turned towards the sound. Techno and Tommy quietly approached the tent and heard a whispered  _ “Ow Ant you’re stepping on my foot you muffinhead!”  _ It quickly got silent when the people inside the tent noticed that they were being too loud. Deciding that their cover was blown, the Badlands gang came bursting out of the tent with loud yells and hollers. They charged towards Techno and his plane, completely ignoring and knocking over Tommy in the process. When they had surrounded Techno, all he said was “Well, I guess this hideout isn’t so secret anymore.”

“We caught the pig!” yelled Badboyhalo triumphantly. “Now we’re gonna make you pay for causing us to go into even more debt! Maybe we’ll start by ruining your pretty red plane~”. Hearing the words “ruin” and “plane” in a sentence together got Tommy back into action from his confused state. Getting up from the ground, he yelled angrily “I DON’T THINK SO IDIOTS!!” The Badlands gang turned towards him in shock. “A kid? Why is there a kid here?” they murmured to each other while Tommy pushed his way to the front of the crowd.    
  


“First of all, I’m  _ not _ a kid, I’m a big man! Secondly, there’s no way in hell that I’m letting you idiots ruin this plane. Don’t you know that it’s a rare model, one of the last of its kind! None of you are getting a single finger on it, you’ll have to go through me first!!” said Tommy in an aggressive tone that caused any nearby members to back away in fear. Tommy approached Bad, who was the closest to Techno. Bad felt himself backing up in fear of the tall and aggressive teen, but stood his ground and said, “Who do you think you are kid, making orders to the mighty and feared Badlands gang?” Tommy just laughed and said “I’m Tommy, the engineer of this plane, and if you guys had any honor, you wouldn’t ruin a fellow seaplane pilot’s plane. Imagine if someone ambushed you and ruined something you loved?” The pirates considered his words for a few moments until Bad spoke up again saying, “You have a point, Tommy, we won’t ruin the plane because we know how much hard work it is to make one. You know, I made the Badlands plane myself? It took a lot of time and I had to look all over the place for parts and I-” “Bad you’re rambling again” said Awesamdude quietly. Bad stopped talking and smiled sheepishly before getting back on track. “Anyway Tommy, we won’t ruin the plane, but we need to get payback on the pig for wronging us a bunch of times!”

“And you think capturing him and hurting him is going to do the trick? Where is your honor?? My dad always tells me that seaplane pilots have the purity of the ocean and the sky in their hearts and that they are the most honorable and kind people on this planet! I know you guys are honorable pilots, so if you want to fight Techno, fight him in the skies!”

The Badlands gang cheered after Tommy’s moving speech, and Bad even wiped a tear from his eye. “Tommy, thank you for your kind words. You make me truly proud to be a seaplane pilot.” While all of this was happening, Techno was just standing with a confused expression on his face. How had hotheaded and aggressive Tommy managed to get these pirates to do what he said??  _ This kid is really something else,  _ thought Techno with pride. 

“Now, which one of you is going to fight Techno one on one for honor?” asked Tommy to the Badlands gang. They all became very nervous and stuttered out excuses like “my plane has engine troubles” and “I’m busy all this week, I don’t think I have time”. Karl spoke up from the back of the crowd saying “Why don’t we ask Schlatt? I know he’s still in town and he already beat Techno once, I’m sure he can do it again!” Everyone made sounds of agreement before Bad said somberly “Our contract with him expired already and we can’t afford to get him back…” 

While everyone was figuring out what to do, Techno noticed someone sneakily climbing down towards them. He watched as the person slipped on a rock and went tumbling down into the water. Before he fell completely, however, he activated a parachute and sailed down right in front of Techno and the Badlands gang. Schlatt had arrived.

“So I heard you guys need someone to fight the pig for you?” said Schlatt, bowing at the claps he received for his “flawless” entrance. Techno was filled with anger at the sight of the American, remembering what he had seen earlier that day. Schlatt just smiled smugly at Techno, mistaking his anger for Techno being angrily impressed at his entrance. “Hello Techno, did you enjoy your little vacation in Milan? Ready to fight the big boys again??”

Techno growled at Schlatt and responded with “No way in hell I’m losing to you again. Me and you. One on one sky fight. This weekend.” Schlatt grinned maniacally at Techno’s proposition and said “What’s in it for me pig? Because right now, it doesn’t look like you have any money or anything of interest.” Before Techno could reply, Tommy stepped between the two and said “Me.”

Schlatt took a moment looking at the boy before saying, “Interesting. Techno’s little worker offering himself up as a prize. Ok kid, I could use a good waterboy for when I make it big in America.” Angered at the thought of being someone’s possession, Tommy replied saying “And if Techno wins, which he will, you have to pay this entire bill for his debt.” Tommy pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket with complete detailing of Techno’s bill. Schlatt looked over it for a moment thinking  _ damn that’s a lot of money,  _ before handing it back to Tommy and replying. “It’s a deal. Can’t wait to have you as my new assistant kid.” Badboyhalo, impressed by Tommy’s honor, piped up saying, “Since Tommy is being so honorable and offering himself up, the Badlands gang will host this event at our hideout. Snacks and drinks will be provided!” The Badlands gang cheered in agreement while Techno groaned. The gang had a reputation of sensationalizing events for their own monetary gain, and Techno expected they were going to market the hell out of this 1v1. 

When all the time and location arrangements were made, Schlatt shot a grappling hook into the air and went flying in the air when it hooked onto a branch above. He proceeded to climb his way out of Techno’s hideout and leave with one final flourishing bow. The Badlands gang cheered at his exit and began making their way out as well. Many of the pirates waved goodbye to Tommy and shouted their goodbyes as well. Techno, getting annoyed by people being in his home for this long, shouted “SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” at the retreating figures of the pirates. They quickly scrambled away and took off in their planes. 

Once they were all out of sight, Techno angrily turned towards Tommy and said angrily, “ _ What in the world _ possessed you to make that deal?” Tommy just looked down at the sand and said “I’m sorry Techno, I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted you to be safe.” Techno sighed, anger fading away as he saw that Tommy was genuinely sad. “You know kid, you saved my life back there. I should be thanking you.” Tommy looked up with watery eyes and said “really?” Techno chuckled at the younger, realizing that he really was just a kid. “Yes kid, really, Thank you. Now, let's get the plane ready, I have a big fight to win this weekend.”

Tommy’s sad face quickly morphed into one of happiness as he ran up to Techno and gave him a huge hug. “I knew you would fight for me Techno! You really do have so much honor! You’re amazing!!!” Techno smiled at Tommy’s words. “Honor. Well, I hate that word, but when you say it, it doesn’t sound that bad.” They stood there together for a while, enjoying the silence before Techno noticed Tommy shaking. He quickly let go of the younger, worried, and asked, “Tommy, hey, are you ok buddy? You’re shaking like a leaf!”

Tommy turned towards Techno with tears in his eyes and said “Yeah, I’m ok. I guess I was really scared that you wouldn’t fight for me. I can’t seem to stop shaking, and the tears won’t stop, but I’m happy Techno. I’m happy that you care for me enough to risk everything.” Techno’s heart felt a sudden warmth at the younger’s confession.  _ I have to keep this kid safe, no matter what,  _ he thought to himself as he watched Tommy scramble towards the water. Tommy hopped into all the water with all his clothes still on and began swimming laps around the plane. 

“Kid, what do you think you’re doing!?!?” yelled Techno to Tommy. “I just need a swim to get rid of these nerves! Also, the water looked so pretty and I couldn’t resist!” yelled Tommy in response. Techno just laughed at the kid’s antics and began taking their suitcases into the hideout. He was about to head inside when he heard an “OH NO!” from the water. Dropping the suitcases and rushing back outside, he went to where Tommy was and yelled “WHAT’S WRONG??”

Tommy looked over at Techno with sadness and said, “I should’ve padded those bills! We could have made so much more money off of Schlatt!” Techno, stunned by Tommy’s response, broke into a laughing fit, unlike anything Tommy had ever seen. 

“You know what kid, you’re really something else.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter ! As I mentioned above, we are almost at the end of the story. I have 3 more chapters planned but thank you for all the support so far on this. I appreciate you all !
> 
> Comments are much appreciated, until next time <333


	10. Bedtime Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Tommy and Techno get rest from their long day, Tommy asks Techno some questions about himself. Then, Tommy asks to hear a story and Techno tells him the best one that he knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone ! I was really excited to write out this chapter, and I hope everyone likes it :D 
> 
> Quick note: There is some minor negativity towards religion in this chapter, so if that makes you uncomfy, feel free to skip this chapter :)
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

After the long and eventful day, Techno and Tommy set up the tent that the Badlands gang had trashed and settled themselves in for the night. Techno let Tommy have most of the blankets and warmth because he “wasn’t that cold anyway”. As Tommy got settled into his sleeping area, Techno was sitting at his table counting ammo cartridges and cleaning them off. The soft light of the lantern at Techno’s desk lulled Tommy into a peaceful rest, but before he fully drifted off to sleep, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He blinked a couple of times, thinking it was just the haze of sleep making him imagine things, but it stayed the same.

“Techno?” said Tommy in a quiet voice. The pig sitting at the desk was no longer a pig. He was a man with long pink hair and piercing red eyes, and his very human hands were fiddling with the ammo at the desk. Tommy couldn’t believe it. What had happened to make Techno change back? Before he could say anything else, however, Techno turned to him. The person staring back at him wasn’t a human anymore. In the blink of an eye, Techno had turned back into a pig. 

“Yeah, kid? Can you not sleep?” he asked with confusion. Tommy just blinked a couple more times to make sure he was fully awake and then shook his head. “I thought I saw- nevermind,” he said with a big yawn. “I reckon I’m just hallucinating from being tired.” Techno made a sound of agreement and turned back to his work. Tommy sat up and regarded Techno for a couple more seconds before asking “Techno, why did you become a pig?”Techno let out a quiet laugh and said “All men are pigs.” 

Tommy, not satisfied with the answer, got out of his bed and sat closer to Techno’s table. “You know, my dad has told me a lot about the great army pilot Technoblade. He said that Technoblade saved an enemy pilot from dying and that he was an honorable and kind man. He helped my dad through wars in the past.” Techno stopped cleaning and turned towards Tommy. “That man is gone, he died in the war. All that’s left is a pig in his place who hates the government and just wants money. Now go to sleep, we have a big day ahead of us.”

“So this pig thing is a curse then. I know! What about true love’s kiss? Like in the story, the princess kisses the frog and he turns into a handsome prince. We just need to find you your princess!” said Tommy excitedly. Techno let out a long sigh and said, “Tommy, you really are such a child. Nobody would love a pig.” Tommy looked down sadly at Techno’s words. He didn’t like being called a child by Techno, but deep down he knew that Techno was probably right. It was just a fairy tale after all. Techno noticed Tommy’s sadness and his cold demeanor softened. “Hey kid, don’t worry. Being a pig isn’t all that bad, and maybe one day I’ll wake up me again.” 

Tommy got back into his bed and said to Techno, “You know Techno, I love you, pig or not.” Techno smiled at Tommy; no one had ever said that to him before. “Thanks Tommy, you know I care for you a lot too.” Tommy got comfy in his bed and decided to ask Techno one more thing. “Can you tell me a story before I go to bed? Pleaseeee Techno???” Techno thought for a moment before deciding to tell Tommy a good story. “Ok, here’s a good one,”

“It was the last year of the Great War. I was with my squad flying over the Adriatic Ocean. My good friend Wilbur was there with me. He had just married Dream of the Hotel Sogñare earlier that week, and I was his best man. Sadly, the war doesn’t wait for anyone, so we had to take off to battle right after the ceremony. Things were going pretty smoothly and we weren’t expecting anything at all. Then, 5 enemy planes came out of nowhere and immediately began attacking us. It was the most brutal dogfight I had ever been in. My only thoughts during that time were to keep flying and stay out of the shooting range of the enemies. I ignored my fellow pilots, including Wilbur. I was so selfish. I flew so long and so fast to escape the enemy, and I never went back to fight. I was a coward, but I managed to escape the ambush. My hands and feet were numb from fighting so long, and I passed out mid-flight. My last thought before I lost consciousness was a prayer that the enemy wasn’t coming after  _ me _ .” 

“When I woke up, all I could see was white. I thought I had died, but it turns out I was just flying in a cloud. I navigated myself out of it, and I was skimming the cloud line when I saw it: a line of stars arching across the sky. I was so confused, so I decided to fly up towards it. While I was flying, I noticed that there was no wind or sound at all. I thought that I had maybe lost my hearing until I heard the sound of another plane’s engine behind me. I turned around, expecting to see the enemy trailing me, but it was Wilbur. I called out for him, thinking that he had died in the fighting. He didn’t even look my way; he just kept flying up towards the stars. Then I saw my other squad members come out from the clouds and go up towards the stars as well. No matter how much I called out for them, nobody spared a glance my way. It was all so confusing until I noticed that the stars in the sky weren’t actually stars:

“They were planes.”

“At that moment, I understood what was happening. All my friends were dead, and they were going up to heaven. I begged and pleaded for them to let me go instead. Wilbur had just gotten married, he couldn’t leave Dream alone. I had nothing to live for, why couldn’t it have been me? My selfishness had cost the life of my best friend, who would never get to go home to his love again. My plane started to lower down, and no matter what, I couldn’t make it up to the other planes. I passed out again from the fast altitude drop, and when I came to, I was skimming the ocean’s surface alone.”

Tommy, who was listening to the story with such interest, startled at the abrupt ending. “Wait that’s it? No happy ending??” Techno let out a sad chuckle and said “I’m afraid not kid. Wait, one more thing to mention: I woke up looking the way I do right now.” Tommy gasped in surprise and said, “Maybe that whole thing was God telling you that it wasn’t your time to go.” Techno looked at Tommy, “And it  _ was _ Wilbur’s time? I don’t know kid. I think they all went to heaven, and God called me a pig for leaving my friends behind.”

  
Tommy frowned and said “Don’t think of it like that Techno, I think you’re an amazing person. You’re one of the good guys!” Techno let out a humorless laugh at that and replied with “Nah, the good guys are the ones that died. I’m set to go to hell. Or maybe I already am in hell, and being a pig is the equivalent. Now, I told you your story, so go to sleep.” Tommy got out of bed one more time and went over to Techno’s table. He gave the pig a hug and said “You’re one of the good guys to me Techno. You have honor and I know you care for people like Skeppy and me and Dream.” Techno patted Tommy on the back and said, “You know kid, seeing you makes me wish I had never given up being human.” When Tommy was fully asleep, Techno turned off the lantern and sat in the dark thinking about the past and everything Tommy had said to him.  _ True love’s kiss huh? I don’t even know if I have one of those anymore... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter ! The next one will be the last "real" chapter in the story, and the final chapter will be an epilogue. I'm so thankful for everyone's support, and I can't wait to write more in the future ! 
> 
> Comments are much appreciated, until next time <333


	11. The Final Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes down to this. The final fight between Technoblade and Jschlatt. A lot is on the line. Who will win? Will things go to plan? Will secrets be confessed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! This is probably my longest chapter yet, and I'm insanely proud of how things have come along. Thank you so much for 200 kudos and for reading through this whole story. This is technically the last chapter of the story, but an epilogue chapter is coming very soon ! 
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story.

The next few days were full of preparation and trials for Techno and Tommy. They both worked together to make sure Techno’s plane was in the best shape possible, and Tommy stayed up late every night in determination to make everything perfect. Techno had never felt more proud of Tommy than he did at this moment, watching him scramble around and work incessantly on his passion project (as well as for his freedom, but Techno was sure he was going to win). The night before the big event, Tommy and Techno stayed up talking about anything to get their minds off of what was to happen the next day. They fell asleep with smiles on their faces from trading funny and wholesome stories about their lives.

**_The Next Day…_ **

Tommy awoke suddenly at the break of sunrise. For a second, he was confused about why he was so scared, but then he recalled his dream from last night. In his dream, Techno had decided that Tommy wasn’t important to him and let Schlatt take him instead of fighting. Techno’s words from the other night  _ “I was selfish… I’m a coward _ ” rung in Tommy’s ears as he tried to forget his nightmare. He took a few deep breaths and said to himself “Techno cares for you. He’s not going to leave you. Everything is going to go great today.” Techno, hearing Tommy’s murmurs to himself, woke up and turned towards the younger. “Tommy, what are you doing up so early? We have a big day and I want you to be rested,” said Techno with a sleepy concern. Tommy, not expecting Techno to be awake, turned towards him with a start. “Sorry big man, I just had a nightmare. I’m a little nervous for today,” he said with a sad chuckle. Techno, after spending a while with Tommy, knew that there was something more than that. However, he didn’t want to pressure the other to say things he didn’t want to, so he decided to do something better. Getting out of his sleeping area, he came over to Tommy and gave him a big hug. This surprised Tommy as Techno was not known to be a very affectionate person, but he let himself relax into Techno’s hug, knowing that he really did care.

After that, the two of them couldn’t sleep any longer, so they began to get themselves ready for the day. The two of them were tense and on edge all morning, but still managed to make it out on time. The flight there was quiet until Techno said to Tommy, “No matter what happens kid, you’re going to be ok.” Tommy smiled at Techno, but the unspoken question of  _ What about you Techno? _ hung in the air along with the thick tension.

When they arrived at the Badlands Gang hideout, Techno was disappointed but not surprised to see that there were tons of people gathered at the docks and around the island. It seems like they contacted Mr. Beast, who was a legend in marketing events and making them more profitable. There were booths set up for people to buy snacks, souvenirs, and betting stands where people could gamble on who they thought was going to win. Techno shook his head at the antics of the Badlands Gang, who just wanted to make money to pay for fancy items for themselves. When Techno and Tommy landed, Badboyhalo approached them with a huge grin on his face. “So what do you think Techno? We got a lot of people to show up, and we’re making so much money from it!” he said excitedly. “Really cool stuff BBH, but don’t you think this is a little much for a dangerous and potentially deadly event?” said Techno in a deadpan voice. Bad’s smile wavered a bit, but he waved off Techno’s comment with a “Money is money Techno, you of all people should know this.” Techno grudgingly agreed with Bad’s statement and began making his way over to a food stand. Tommy was nervously trailing behind him, overwhelmed by the number of people who were at this event. Techno noticed Tommy’s nerves and motioned for him to come closer. “Listen, kid, your work on my plane is one of the most amazing I’ve ever seen in my life, and all these people are going to agree. We’re gonna win this, don’t worry about it.” Tommy puffed his chest at the compliment and started to walk around with more confidence and excitement. However, that was all lost when Antfrost came up behind him and said “It’s time Tommy, the bets wagered have to be up on the stand now. Please follow me.” Before Tommy could respond or protest, two more Badlands Gang members came up behind him and escorted him to the podium. 

“Ok everyone, can I have your attention, please? We are about the start the honorable 1v1 fight between Technoblade and Jschlatt! If everyone could gather to the podium, we will go over the rules!” Bad said into the mic positioned at the top of the stage. The crowd of people made their way over and Techno climbed up on stage. There was a mix of cheers and boos for his appearance, but he just ignored them. When he caught sight of Schlatt at the other side of the stage, the anger in him started to boil once again. Schlatt, who loved all the attention, was blowing kisses to the audience and bowing every 5 seconds. Once everyone had made it, Bad spoke up again. “Ok, so first of all, we would like to thank Mr. Beast for helping us put this whole event together. Next, we would like to go over the health and safety rules for a traditional sea pilot 1v1. The first rule is-” “GET ON WITH THE FIGHT!!!” yelled someone in the crowd. Angered by someone yelling at their precious leader, the Badlands gang pulled out a flash-bang grenade and threw it in the direction of the heckler. There were screams and panic as everyone tried to get out of the way of it. As it exploded, Karl angrily yelled “Next person to interrupt BBH gets a free knuckle sandwich!” Bad, who was flustered at the sudden commotion, decided to skip on the rules and instead say “W-well, today’s bets wagered by the pilots are a huge sum of money to pay Technoblade’s debt and Mr. Tommy, who will become Jschlatt’s assistant if Technoblade loses. The two of them will fight until one pilot is physically unable to fight back. Now, without any further ado, will the pilots please get into the sky?”

Techno and Schlatt made their way over to the planes. Before they got in, however, Schlatt came over to Techno and held out his hand for a shake. Techno simply looked at him and said “No thanks, I may be a pig, but I like to keep my hands clean.” Schlatt, offended by Techno’s remark, gritted his teeth and said “Fine. I’m not going easy on you this time pig.” “Likewise,” replied Techno as he got into his plane and into the skies.

The crowd cheered when they saw Techno and Schlatt in the air. Bad and Ant were watching with binoculars and Tommy, frustrated at not being able to see anything, grabbed Ant’s pair. “Hey! The prizes aren’t supposed to move from their spots!” said Ant indignantly. Tommy ignored him in favor of standing next to Bad, who Tommy expected to know a lot about dogfights. “So what is it looking like right now BBH?” asked Tommy. Bad, who was never asked questions about the mechanics of fighting, eagerly replied. “Well, right now they’re just circling and getting their bearings in the sky. Then, someone is going to make the first shot, which will determine how the fight is going to go. Techno and Schlatt are both very talented, so it's only a matter of time before- OH! Schlatt has made the first shot!” Sure enough, Tommy spotted Schlatt firing at Techno with no mercy. Techno was easily dodging the bullets and maneuvering around Schlatt, but h made no motion to shoot back. Confused, Tommy asked “Bad, why isn’t Techno shooting? He has perfect opportunities right now!” Bad lowered his binoculars and turned towards Tommy. “Don’t you know? Techno never shoots the pilots themselves. He will usually go for the wing or the engine. He has never once injured or killed a pilot in his whole time of being a bounty hunter. It’s really unusual to us, but if it keeps us alive, we’re not complaining.” Tommy considered this and realized exactly why Techno did this: he didn’t want to feel responsible for another pilot’s death.  _ What a truly amazing guy,  _ thought Tommy to himself in awe of the pig.

Meanwhile, up in the air, Schlatt was just as confused as Tommy as to why Techno wasn’t shooting him. However, the overconfident man just chalked it up to Techno being a scared person. “Come on pig, shoot me! You know you want to!!! You’re jealous of my fame and my skill, just admit it!” he taunted. Techno just kept outflying the other's bullets, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. This went on for a couple more minutes until:  _ Perfect.  _ Techno took aim at Schlatt’s engines, which were perfectly in shot. However, when he shot, his gun didn’t work. It was jammed. “No no no this can’t be happening right now!” said Techno to himself as he continued to try to shoot, to no avail. Schlatt laughed at him saying “I guess your precious plane isn’t good enough Techno! That stupid kid engineer of yours is worthless!” Techno, blinded by rage at Schlatt’s insult to Tommy, pulled out his pistol and began shooting at Schlatt. Of course, they were too far away to hit, but it scared Schlatt into shooting again. As he began shooting, Techno silently accepted defeat.  _ I’m sorry for letting you down kid, I’m just not good enough… _

“It looks like Techno’s gun is jammed! Oh and now he’s shooting at Schlatt with his pistol! I wonder what they’re saying to each other!!!” said Bad excitedly, watching the fight as if it was a movie. Tommy was beyond nervous at this point and confused as to how the gun was jammed.  _ We double and triple checked it, and that was just yesterday!  _ he thought to himself as he watched the fight with bated breath. As if he could read Techno’s mind, he shouted up into the air “ **DON’T GIVE UP TECHNO! YOU HAVE MORE HONOR!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!** ” Bad had his eyes glued on the sky and noticed Techno beginning to fly again instead of giving up. “Tommy! He’s still going! And he’s using his signature move, the Loop, to confuse Schlatt!” Tommy cheered loudly at Techno’s resilient spirit and continued to watch the fight with a newfound enthusiasm.

Techno could hear Tommy’s words, they were faint, but they were strong in Techno’s heart and mind. At the same moment that Techno heard Tommy’s words, Schlatt made a sound of disbelief. “My guns! They’re jammed as well!!!!” he shouted in rage as he attempted to shoot at Techno. This miraculous moment brought the fighting spirit back into Techno, and he began forming a new plan.  _ Thank you old friend, you saved my life _ , thought Techno as he began doing the Loop, knowing that it was Wilbur watching over him and protecting him. As he made a new plan, Schlatt decided to get his pistol out and begin shooting as well. “Come on Schlatt, you’re not going to hit me with that thing! We’re too far apart!” Techno yelled mockingly. Suddenly, he heard a little  _ ping!  _ From the side of his plane. Schlatt had landed a hit. “American born and raised baby! I never miss!” said Schlatt with a hearty laugh. Techno, not anticipating Schlatt’s good aim, threw a wrench at him. It completely missed, and Schlatt meanly pointed it out to Techno. Techno merely smiled and pointed upward. Schlatt only had a second to look up before the wrench boomeranged back into his head with a loud  _ BANG! _

Techno laughed at Schlatt, who was dazed from the hit. “Hey Mr. American, I never miss either, so what do you say we settle this a different way. Hand to hand combat. First-person to pass out loses.” Schlatt, loving a good fistfight, eagerly accepted Techno’s deal.

“They’re flying down! Why are they flying down?” asked Tommy. Everyone down below was just as confused as him, and they rushed over to the planes of the two fighters. “Change of plans everyone, we’re going to have a fistfight,” said Techno with a terrifyingly evil smile on his face.

The Badlands Gang took this change of plans in stride and converted the island into a boxing ring type area. People who were rooting for Techno were on one side while those who rooted for Schlatt were on the other. The rules of the fistfight were explained “No foul play allowed, first one to be unable to fight is the loser, 10-second countdown from the time you are knocked down”, and soon enough, everyone was ready to watch two legendary sea pilots duke it out in hand to hand combat. The fight went surprisingly well, with both pilots putting up good fights and fighting for 6 whole rounds until they were black and blue all over. The end of the 6th round ended with Techno being knocked into the water, but the bell to sound the end of the match had rung before he hit the water, so they decided on another round to continue. Schlatt went to his corner and was getting cleaned up and given water, while Tommy had to drag Techno over to help him get cleaned and hydrated. The judges decided on a short break to make sure the pilots wouldn’t die during the next round. Tommy took this opportunity to give Techno a pep talk. 

“Big man, I know this may seem bleak, but I need you to pull through. We all know you’re stronger and cooler than Schlatt, and you definitely have more honor. I believe in you, and look at all the others who do too! Win this fight Techno, you are strong and brave and amazing. Please don’t give up Techno!” Tommy begged the pig. Techno knew he couldn’t let Tommy down, so he grabbed the youngers hand and said “I will win this Tommy. For you.” Tommy smiled and gave Techno a huge hug. Techno could barely reciprocate it, but he knew that Tommy knew that he cared for the kid so much.  _ Love. I love this kid like a little brother. I want to keep him safe and happy. I’m doing this for him. Forget honor and bragging rights, I’m doing this for Tommy!  _ thought Techno with pride. He would win this for the ones he loved.  _ Wait- the ones?  _ His mind began to think of Dream, sitting in his garden, laughing at his jokes, holding his hand, being his friend, the kiss…  _ Yeah. The ones I love. _

Hotel Sogñare was in a state of panic. The owner of the hotel had not been seen all morning, and the attendants were getting worried. Punz and Ponk, two of Dream's closest attendants, were talking amongst themselves. “Where could he be? I know he wouldn’t want to miss this fight, but at this rate, we’re all going to miss it!” said Punz in an irritated voice. Ponk nodded in agreement saying “Last I saw, he was holed up in his room, but when one of the maids went to change the sheets, he was nowhere to be found!” The two of them were worried, but they also knew Dream was very capable of taking care of himself, so they didn’t feel the need to call any type of authority. “We’ll give him 10 more minutes to show up, but if he doesn’t, I’m going to go see this fight. It’s got to be one of the greatest ever, and I know I can pick up a few tips from Techno and Schlatt’s fighting styles,” said Punz. The two positioned themselves at the staircase that led to Dream’s room and began chatting with each other about mundane topics.

Dream, as expected, was not missing at all. This morning he had taken a walk in his garden, thinking about Techno and when he would see him next. He hadn’t seen or heard anything from the pig since his fancy return earlier that week, and then all of a sudden, propaganda for this big 1v1 was spread everywhere. At first, Dream was really upset that Techno hadn’t told him about this, but then he got to thinking. It was Techno versus Schlatt, how interesting. Dream is a smart man and figured out that part of Techno’s motives for this fight was to prove something to the hotel owner.  _ But what is he trying to prove? Does he really love me? Or is this another brash showing of his power to me?  _ Dream’s mind had been all over the place for the past few days, and he made a decision to confront Techno at the fight and make him tell Dream the truth.  _ Surely he remembers the day we went out near the ocean... He has to remember our kiss… He had to have felt the same sparks that I did…  _ Sadly, fate had another plan for Dream, as he got a mysterious call from his private telephone as soon as he got back to his room from the walk. This phone did not work like a typical one, and instead broadcasted the call in a code that only 4 people (Dream, Skeppy, Wilbur, and Techno) knew. Since Techno was busy getting ready for his fight and WIlbur was, you know, Dream deduced that the message was from Skeppy. He had been decoding the message all morning in his hidden study that not even Punz or Ponk could find, as it had been many years since he had to use the code. When he did, he immediately sprung into action.

_ D, the military knows about T’s fight today. You have to go and stop it from being found. I’ll hold off the military for as long as possible, but this is up to you. Good luck old friend, keep our little pig safe. _

Rushing down the stairs, Dream quite literally ran into Punz. “Oh Dream, there you are! Ponk and I were about to take off without you, did you forget that Techno’s-” “PUNZ! WE DON’T HAVE ANY TIME! GET THE PLANE READY FOR TAKEOFF  **_NOW_ ** _!!!”  _ yelled Dream urgently. Punz, shocked by this side of Dream, scrambled to get the hotel’s seaplane ready to fly. Ponk hurried quickly after, not wanting to feel the rage and anger of the hotel owner. Dream hurriedly got his flying outfit on and rushed to the plane. Once it was in the air, Dream explained what was happening (he left out where he got this information, but Punz and Ponk knew better than to ask). Nervous, Dream constantly asked if the plane could go any faster, but Punz replied that the speed they were going was the fastest the plane could possibly go. “I hate seaplane pilots so much! Always getting themselves into so much trouble, and it’s always up to me to fix things!” Dream yelled angrily to no one in particular.  _ If you hate them so much, why are you in love with one?  _ taunted a voice in the back of Dream’s head. Growling angrily, Dream continued to mumble under his breath about “stupid pigs” and “damn pilots”.

While Dream was on his way, the 7th round of the fight was in full swing with both Techno and Schlatt getting strong punches in. While they were fighting, Schlatt decided to taunt Techno a bit. “Just- just give up pig! Even if you win, which you won’t, you aren’t getting anything good from this!” Techno threw a strong punch at Schlatt, completely missing, but still said “I’m not fighting for myself anymore Schlatt, I’m doing this for the kid. He deserves so much better than a scumbag like you!” Schlatt threw an angry punch at Techno and completely missed as well as he replied “You know what, that’s real funny because that’s exactly what I said to Dream about you! Do you know what Dream said to me? He said-” Techno yelled angrily “Don’t say  _ Dream  _ like you know him! You don’t know him like I do! I don’t care what he told you, I don’t care what you did and said in that garden, you’ll  **_never_ ** know him like I do!!!” Schlatt just laughed and said, “Will you shut up you stupid pig? Dream said to me that he’s been waiting for you!” he threw another futile punch at Techno, which Techno retaliated with a similarly futile punch. “He’s been waiting for you in that stupid garden of his for years. He wants you to meet him there and you will fall in love with each other and live happily ever after!” Schlatt took Techno’s moment of confusion at those words to land a solid punch in his face. Techno toppled into the shallow water below. Schlatt, exhausted from his fight, collapsed beside Techno. The audience held their breaths as Karl began counting the 10 seconds for the first person to get up. As he began counting, Dream’s plane was making a speedy landing towards the island. They almost crashed into Karl, who yelled for them to slow down and stop. As they slowed, Dream got out of his seat and peered over the edge of the plane into the water, where he saw both Schlatt and Techno laying face up in the water.

“Techno, Techno! Get up, you absolute idiot! You have to get out of here!” sighing disappointedly at the sight below him, Dream motioned for Karl to give him the mic. He then addressed the whole crowd saying, “Hello everyone! The army is currently on its way, so I recommend that if you have been gambling today or have been involved in any criminal activity in the past, you should make your way far from this island. Come to my hotel! Drinks are on the house!!” The crowd, which was made up of seaplane pirates and generally shady figures, made quick work of getting away from the island and towards Dream’s hotel. The Badlands Gang collected the heaps of money they had made that day and also began clearing out. Karl, Ant, and Bad stuck around to check on the final standings of the fight. Karl resumed his count to 10, and as he was reaching the final number…

Techno quickly burst from the water, standing triumphantly for all to see. Tommy began cheering, and ran over to Techno, giving him a huge hug. “You did it Techno! You won! I knew you could!!!” said Tommy, tears of joy streaming down his face. Schlatt was dragged out of the water and into shore by the Badlands Gang, who tipped their hats to Tommy and Dream and quickly made their way out of there. Dream disembarked and walked over to Schlatt. “The fight is over Mr. Jschlatt, you lost,” he said smugly as he patted the American on the head. Making his way over to Techno, he noticed the kid clinging to him in excitement. Catching Dream’s eye, Techno grabbed Tommy and hauled him onto Dream’s plane. “Hello Dream. Please do me a favor and take Tommy and this money to respectable society. He doesn’t belong with these pirates.” Dream, expected a different reaction from Techno, said “This just isn’t fair Techno. Why do you do this to yourself? You don’t always have to be alone you know.” Techno just laughed quietly and said, “I don’t feel so alone anymore Dream.” Before he could make his way back to his plane, Dream ran up to Techno and grabbed his shoulders. Techno turned to look Dream in the eyes.

“I’ll be waiting in my garden for you Techno.”

“I’ll be there soon Dream.”

Dream and Techno walked over to Dream’s plane, where Techno said to Tommy, “This is where we part ways for now kid. I don’t want you in any more danger. I love you kid, Dream will keep you safe for a while, and I promise I’ll be back for you.” Tommy couldn’t believe what Techno was doing. “Techno! You said we were in this together! Take me with you please!” he begged. Techno just smiled and gave the kid one more hug and a pat on the head. Before Tommy could do anything, the plane began taking off. As it was prepping to take off, Dream leaned from his seat to give Techno a kiss. It lasted for barely a second and was just a brush of their lips, but both Techno and Dream felt the fireworks erupt once again, just as they had all those years ago. Techno was too surprised by the kiss that he didn’t notice the plane’s wing heading right towards him. It smacked him clear in the head and knocked him back into the water. When he resurfaced, Dream’s plane was just a speck in the sky. Schlatt had made his way over to Techno and pointed out a group of planes arriving in the distance. “I reckon we could take them. What do you say Techno?” asked Schlatt. Techno let out a small laugh and said, “We’ll be flying circles around them in no time.” Techno was heading towards his and Schlatt’s planes when Schlatt noticed it. 

“HEY! YOUR FACE!!” yelled Schlatt in surprise. Techno just sped up and continued making his way towards the planes. “Hey wait!! Get back here! Let me see!” Schlatt said while running to catch up to the man ahead of him. Techno shouted “Leave me alone! We have an army to fight!!!” The two men bickered all the way to their planes and took off together to fight off the army.

Techno’s pink hair glistened in the light of the afternoon sun and blew along with the light breeze of the warm summer's day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you everyone for reading my story. I am so grateful for everyone who has read, commented, and bookmarked my story. Like I said above, epilogue chapter coming soon (It's going to be 100% Dreamnoblade hehehe). I'm planning on writing more fics in the future, so be on the lookout for those. 
> 
> Comments are very much appreciated, thank you for everything, and until next time ! <33333


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little glimpse at what happens next in the lives of Tommy, Technoblade, and Dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it to the end of the story ! Thank you everyone who read through the whole thing, your support is so much appreciated! I never thought I would make this story so long, it was originally going to be a short one shot about Dream and Techno falling in love, but I'm so glad I made it the way it is today. I had a lot of fun writing these chapters, and I hope to be back soon with new and enjoyable stories for you guys!
> 
> Important: This is not shipping the real CCs, just the characters they represent. Please respect boundaries as well as the wishes of all the people mentioned in the story

_ Tommy’s POV _

After Techno sent me with Dream after the fight, I was flown to Dream’s hotel. At first, I didn’t want anything to do with this man because I was mad at Techno for leaving me behind. However, I soon realized that Dream wasn’t so bad. We spent the rest of that day serving drinks and food to all the people who came from the 1v1 fight and joking about Techno and all sorts of things together. By the time night rolled around, I had forgotten about Techno (for the moment) and was so excited to keep hanging out with Dream. He showed me to my room for the night, which was a sight nicer than Techno’s tent and my small room at the factory. “Dream?” I asked as he was leaving the room. “Yes?” he replied, stopping at the doorway to turn and look at me. “Is something wrong? I can get one of the attendants to get you what you need.” I smiled at Dream’s kindness, such a contrast from Techno’s gruff attitude, yet so similar in how they care for me. “Tell me, what do you plan on doing when Techno comes back?” I said with a slight wiggle of my eyebrows. Dream blushed a bit at the question, but walked back into my room and sat at the foot of my bed. 

“Well, I guess I’ll tell him my feelings toward him, and pray that he stays this time. Then, I want to have tea with him in my garden. After that, happily ever after.” Dream smiled as he recounted his plans to me. I made a fake gagging noise at the wistful expression on his face, but deep down I felt happy for the two of them. Techno and Dream both deserved love after all they had been through, and they definitely deserved each other. “Dream, tell me about when you guys were kids. Techno never told me anything, and I wanna hear how much fun you guys had back in the day.” Dream laughed as he replied “Tommy, we aren’t  _ that  _ old!! I promise times haven’t changed too much from when you were little but ok. Here’s one about Techno falling into the river…” We ended up staying up all night swapping stories of our childhoods.

As the next few weeks passed, I began preparing myself to head back to Milan with Phil. Dream and I had grown very close over time, but I could sense his worry after there was no sign of Techno for a while. When the day came for me to leave, I was sitting with Dream in the garden, the place where he spent most of his off time, and we were having a nice goodbye lunch. “Dream, he will be back for you. I know he loves you very much, and he wouldn’t pass up on such an amazing person like yourself. Keep your head up big man, Techno never breaks his promises. He has a lot of honor.” Dream stayed quiet for the rest of lunch, but as I was packing my bags and sending them outside, he came up to me and gave me a hug. “Thank you Tommy, but after waiting this long for him, I don’t expect him to come back for me,” he said with a sad smile. “He will be here Dream. He will.” I said with a finality in my voice that got Dream to look at me differently. It was almost as he was seeing me as an adult, not a child. We exchanged last goodbyes and promises to visit each other very soon, and I was about to get on the plane when we both saw it. A glint of red high in the sky, coming towards the hotel…

_ Narrator POV _

Techno did come back as Tommy promised, and instead of landing in the front of the hotel like normal, he parked in the back area near the garden. As he climbed out, he quickly made his way over the wall similar to how Schlatt did all those days ago, albeit more gracefully. He quickly made his way to where he saw Dream the day he came back from Milan and sat under the flowering almond tree, pink petals scattered about on the floor. He started counting in his head waiting to see… 

Not even 5 seconds later, he saw Tommy and Dream rushing towards him from inside the hotel. They stopped quickly in their tracks when they saw him. After the day of the fight, Techno had transformed back into a human. He had a human face and body, but some pig-like traits still remained, such as the pointed ears and slightly pointed bottom teeth that showed when he smiled at the two men. The most striking change, however, was his hair. When Techno was a human the first time around, his hair was a similar brown to Wilburs, but now it was a soft pastel pink that matched the blooms of the almond tree. Dream was stunned for words and didn’t make a single move towards Techno, but Tommy ran headfirst into the older man and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug. “TECHNO! I TOLD YOU IT WAS TRUE LOVES KISS THAT WOULD BREAK YOUR CURSE!!!” he shouted gleefully while pulling at Techno’s new hair. “I love the pink on you big man, it looks very charming.” Techno just chuckled and softly pushed the kid off of him. “It’s good to see you too Tommy, I hope you’ve been behaving.” Tommy began talking a mile a minute about what he had been up to, but Techno ignored it in favor of walking over to Dream, who was still just standing there in shock.

“I heard there was a rare and beautiful flower in this garden that I’m supposed to come to see, can you please guide me to him? I believe his name is Dream.” Techno said as he approached the other man. At that moment, Dream’s shock wore off in favor of a relieved smile. “You came back.” was all he said before pulling the pink-haired man down for a kiss. Techno was not expecting this, but quickly got used to the feeling as he pulled Dream close to him and kissed him back with equal passion. Techno began running one hand through Dream’s hair while the other stayed on his back. They stood there kissing and enjoying each other’s presence for what felt like forever until the gremlin named Tommy interrupted with a loud “EWWW GET A ROOM!!” Techno turned around, Dream still in his arms, and quickly flipped Tommy off before beginning to kiss Dream again. They stayed like that for a minute more before Dream pulled away, absolutely dazed from all the affection he was getting. He smiled up at Techno with eyes full of love, and Techno looked back down at him with a similar expression.

“I love you Techno.”

“I love you too Dream.”

**_1 Year Later…_ **

Techno and Dream got married very soon after, wanting to spend as much time as possible with each other in order to make up for the time they lost. Tommy was the flower boy at the wedding, even though he tried to argue for the part of best man throughout the whole preparation process. It was a very private and sweet event, with only the entirety of Phil’s family coming as well as all of Dream’s hotel attendants. The Badlands Gang tried to get in as well, but security (aka Skeppy and some of his army friends) kept them away from the lovers' big day. (Skeppy did find that the leader of the gang was very funny and charming, but that didn’t stop him from doing his job. They still ended up hanging out later though.) Afterward, Techno continued his work as a bounty hunter after the army lifted the ban on them (after a very humiliating defeat at the hands of Techno and Schlatt) while Dream worked at the hotel, but they still found lots of time to be together and go flying often.

As for Schlatt, he soon went back to America, on amicable terms with Techno, Tommy, and Dream. He ended up becoming a very famous and successful actor but still hasn’t become president to this day. He kept in touch with the three for a long time, and they occasionally visited each other in their respective countries. Tommy took up Schlatt on his offer of a part-time home in America and soon became one of the leading seaplane engineers in both Europe and America. It was a happy ending for everyone, especially Dream and Techno, who both found their true love after many years of waiting and searching.

And every day, Dream and Techno made sure to spend time in his garden… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Techno's "human" form is very similar to the human Techno fanart that is all over Twitter (aka anime boy Techno lol).   
> Again, thank you everyone for all the support on my story. I'm not the best at writing romantic scenes, but I hope I did Dreamnoblade justice in this fic. I have a few ideas for DNF fics, so be on the lookout for those soon :D
> 
> Love you all so much, and until the next story <33333


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